Beyond Mahanianism: the evolution of China's policy discussion on sea power development

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    China's sea power has been a continual discussion among scholars and policymakers, specifically regarding the kind of maritime power China is about to develop. Many strategists assume that China has adopted the Mahanian approach of constructing a strong naval power through the control of major merchant sea-lanes and offshore bases. However, this assumption is problematic. Since the mid-2000s, many Chinese scholars and strategists have proposed various approaches to how China should become a strong maritime power using alternative methods. This article organizes these approaches into different schools of thought and examines how they are developed. After years of policy debate on sea power construction, Chinese academics and policy practitioners have agreed that China could develop its sea powers not just with a dominant navy, but also through an emphasis on the importance of domestic maritime governance and diplomatic coercion. This approach goes beyond any understanding of Mahanianism. These findings help to reveal new perspectives with which to understand China's multidimensional sea power, especially the use of gray-zone strategy in the South China Sea in recent years.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)38-55
    JournalAsian Security
    Volume18
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2021

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Beyond Mahanianism: the evolution of China's policy discussion on sea power development'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this