Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

The new kid on the Pacific block

The International Institute for Strategic Studies, following Bob Kaplan’s lead, takes note of the growing role of the Chinese navy. It notes "a considerable change in the navy’s strategic thinking." Among other things, the navy is looking further afield, " a substantial change from previous doctrine." It continues: The new focus is now on ‘long-range ...

JoshuaDavisPhotography.COM/flickr
JoshuaDavisPhotography.COM/flickr
JoshuaDavisPhotography.COM/flickr

The International Institute for Strategic Studies, following Bob Kaplan's lead, takes note of the growing role of the Chinese navy. It notes "a considerable change in the navy's strategic thinking." Among other things, the navy is looking further afield, " a substantial change from previous doctrine." It continues:

The International Institute for Strategic Studies, following Bob Kaplan’s lead, takes note of the growing role of the Chinese navy. It notes "a considerable change in the navy’s strategic thinking." Among other things, the navy is looking further afield, " a substantial change from previous doctrine." It continues:

The new focus is now on ‘long-range maritime training’ in order to ‘protect national maritime sovereignty’. Senior PLA Navy officers have also called for the ‘formation and [maintenance] of lasting long-range combat capabilities.’

Significant progress has been made towards achieving China’s objective of building a fully fledged blue-water navy by 2050. Substantial new funding has allowed it to evolve rapidly from a coastal defence force to a navy capable of limited power projection."

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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