Interesting piece here quoting a Chinese Admiral musing on the advantages offered his Navy if it had a series of overseas bases from which to support its operations. One question that has confronted those who look at East Asian security matters is whether the Chinese naval buildup has been focused on Taiwan, or whether it is more properly thought of as a buildup of a "blue water" force appropriate to a nation with global interests. This Admiral's thoughts seem to suggest the latter.
I mention this as it clearly impacts US Navy force structure and planning decisions. Any lingering sense that we should be basing force structure decisions on a "Taiwan" scenario--rather than on a scenario that aims more broadly at East Asian security and stability (and increasingly the appearance of a near peer elsewhere)--seems misplaced.
China is building a Navy for worldwide fleet operations. That is the Navy we must plan to dominate.
Bryan McGrath
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