NEWS China heads north...

[Flash]

Looks like the Chinese Navy is making its first visit to the Bering Sea around the same time the President made his fisrst visit to Alaska. They certainly aren't subtle with their messaging.

 

[Spekkio]

 

[Randy Daytona]

Good quote from today's "Foreign Policy" "When China Rules the Sea" by James Holmes.

China has yet to acclimate to the rules of the nautical game. Why? Because continental powers like China tend to think about the sea differently than natural seafaring states like the United States or Great Britain. Where nautical peoples see a commons — an ungoverned space, open for the free use of all — terrestrial peoples see national territory, to be governed as though it were dry land. A chasm separates Chinese from Western worldviews.

 

[Randy Daytona]

Wow. 462 Tomahawks appearing out of nowhere - that could ruin your whole day.

http://theweek.com/articles/578815/...ealth-subs-show-china-whos-still-boss-pacific

 

[Random8145]

Good quote from today's "Foreign Policy" "When China Rules the Sea" by James Holmes.

China has yet to acclimate to the rules of the nautical game. Why? Because continental powers like China tend to think about the sea differently than natural seafaring states like the United States or Great Britain. Where nautical peoples see a commons — an ungoverned space, open for the free use of all — terrestrial peoples see national territory, to be governed as though it were dry land. A chasm separates Chinese from Western worldviews.

Could also be that the Chinese are just trying to assert themselves and intimidate. I don't know if China's naval strategy has to do with wanting purely to control the seas as national territory due to their being a terrestrial people. My own (amateur) opinion on China, navy-wise, consists of the following:

1) China was hugely embarrassed by the West (by the West's naval power) and then decimated by Imperial Japan

2) The modern Chinese government (I'd imagine) wants to make DAMNED sure that something like the Japanese invasion never happens again nor any embarrassments---China was actually embarrassed in modern times by the United States back in the 1990s when they were threatening Taiwan and then the U.S. moved in an aircraft carrier and scared them away

3) The Chinese also want to be a strong modern economy. Some say that historically China has been insular, but the thing is, even if China wishes to be insular today, that requires them to be a global player. They have to have secure access to trade routes, natural resources, etc...in order to have a functioning economy, and all of that requires having a strong, blue water-capable navy. So national security in the form of economic and military are both tied to having a strong navy.

4) China wants to be able to project power in that region of the world that it is in. And doing so in particular will require being able to check the United States

 

[jmcquate]

I guess some one in the ChiCom gov with some juice has finally read Mahan.

 

[Random8145]

I guess some one in the ChiCom gov with some juice has finally read Mahan.

George Will wrote an article about this some years ago: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...-of-chinas-navy/2011/03/18/AB5AxAs_story.html

Also if you Google "china Mahan" and "George Will china Mahan" you will find some interesting articles.

 

[Recovering LSO]

I guess some one in the ChiCom gov with some juice has finally read Mahan.

Indeed.

 

[Randy Daytona]

I tend to believe that China and Mahan are over-correlated. Sure, they are studying it Sun Tzu style (know yourself and know your enemy) as the United States is the only global naval power and focused on Mahan's seagoing theories. However China, as a Continental Power, will return to MacKinder's World Island Theory (who rules Eurasia rules the world). Interesting that China is investing heavily on a modern "Silk Road" and are in negotiations with the Stans as well as Europe - having signed an agreement with Hungary in June. It remains to be seen if China is intent on being a global navy or only concerning itself with local superiority in sections of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

http://thediplomat.com/2015/06/chinas-silk-road-in-europe-not-just-hungary/

 

[Recovering LSO]

Did an airwarriors thread just morph into a comparative study of US vs Chinese applications of Mahanian theory!?

Let's not forget who we are what we do here... What percentage of Chinese officers got jets because they read Mahan?

 

[Randy Daytona]

For those who subscribe to Foreign Policy Magazine (and website), there is a good article today by former admiral (and NATO Supreme Commander) James Stavridis concerning "China's Great Wall of Sand". BLUF - there is a tremendous amount to be concerned about as the 3000 acres worth of islands - essentially parked aircraft carriers - change the balance of power in the South China Sea.

It reminds me of the Romans engaging the superior Carthaginian Navy. Instead of an expected traditional naval engagement - the Romans simply spiked the ships together and fought a land battle afloat against the bewildered enemy. Makes me wonder if the Chinese are not doing the same thing.