Posted on Sep 2, 2023
Blue-water ambitions: Is China looking beyond its neighborhood now it has the world's largest...
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China has built the world’s largest naval fleet, more than 340 warships, and until recently it has been regarded as a green-water navy, operating mostly near the country’s shores.
But China’s shipbuilding reveals blue-water ambitions. In recent years it has launched large guided-missile destroyers, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers with the ability to operate in the open ocean and project power thousands of miles from Beijing.
To sustain a global reach, the People’s Liberation Army Navy will need places for those blue-water ships to refuel and replenish provisions far from home.
New analysis from Washington-based think tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) says Beijing’s growing push for that port access includes helping to build a naval base in Cambodia and scouting other potential locations for military outposts as far afield as Africa’s Atlantic coast.
This is augmented by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) facilities in places like Argentina, FDD reports, and Cuba, that can do everything from monitor space and track satellites to eavesdrop on the communications of Western countries.
But China’s shipbuilding reveals blue-water ambitions. In recent years it has launched large guided-missile destroyers, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers with the ability to operate in the open ocean and project power thousands of miles from Beijing.
To sustain a global reach, the People’s Liberation Army Navy will need places for those blue-water ships to refuel and replenish provisions far from home.
New analysis from Washington-based think tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) says Beijing’s growing push for that port access includes helping to build a naval base in Cambodia and scouting other potential locations for military outposts as far afield as Africa’s Atlantic coast.
This is augmented by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) facilities in places like Argentina, FDD reports, and Cuba, that can do everything from monitor space and track satellites to eavesdrop on the communications of Western countries.
Blue-water ambitions: Is China looking beyond its neighborhood now it has the world's largest...
Posted from cnn.com
China
Cambodia
Africa
Cuba
Aircraft Carriers
Posted >1 y ago
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They have the numbers, but they do not have properly trained techs and their ships have all kinds of mechanical trouble. Many can't get underway.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Good article.
The Asian nations are all interested in the Pacific Island, the larger and more powerful the more the interest. It was not merely a WWII interest. Looking at many of the archipelagos throughout the Pacific, our nation has a vested interest relationship with many of them - don't know if we could actually say colonies of U.S.A. - but it looks that way.
"scouting other potential locations for military outposts as far afield as Africa’s Atlantic coast" China did that a few millenia ago also. Took a huge military Armada into the Arabian/Persian Gulf - no attacking efforts - created cultural and economic ties. Was discussing Admiral this with a FB friend not long ago.
It wasn't so long ago, and is considered to have motivated European exploration later in the century. Admiral Zheng's and his Treasure Fleet:
https://www.thecollector.com/zheng-he-seven-voyages/
The Asian nations are all interested in the Pacific Island, the larger and more powerful the more the interest. It was not merely a WWII interest. Looking at many of the archipelagos throughout the Pacific, our nation has a vested interest relationship with many of them - don't know if we could actually say colonies of U.S.A. - but it looks that way.
"scouting other potential locations for military outposts as far afield as Africa’s Atlantic coast" China did that a few millenia ago also. Took a huge military Armada into the Arabian/Persian Gulf - no attacking efforts - created cultural and economic ties. Was discussing Admiral this with a FB friend not long ago.
It wasn't so long ago, and is considered to have motivated European exploration later in the century. Admiral Zheng's and his Treasure Fleet:
https://www.thecollector.com/zheng-he-seven-voyages/
The Seven Voyages of Zheng He: When China Ruled the Seas
In the early 15th century, admiral Zheng He embarked on seven epic voyages, spreading the prestige and influence of Ming China across Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and even East Africa.
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