China Is The Next World Naval Power

American and Chinese flags wave as the Chinese naval destroyer, Qingdao, docks at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Two Chinese Navy ships, the Qingdao and the oiler Hongzehua arrived for a visit. Photo from The People's Daily

While U.S. Is Distracted, China Develops Sea Power -- Robert D. Kaplan, Washington Post

The greatest geopolitical development that has occurred largely beneath the radar of our Middle East-focused media over the past decade has been the rise of Chinese sea power. This is evinced by President Obama's meeting Friday about the South China Sea, where China has conducted live-fire drills and made territorial claims against various Southeast Asian countries, and the dispute over the Senkaku Islands between Japan and China in the East China Sea, the site of a recent collision between a Chinese fishing trawler and two Japanese coast guard ships.

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My Comment: Long time readers of this blog know that I have spent some time in China (starting in the mid 1980s), and I have had the opportunity to talk to many Chinese officials/academics on the rise of the Chinese military.

Bottom line is that the Chinese are determined to have the world's largest (and most effective) military organization and structure. That includes military dominance on land, air .... and yes .... the sea. Robert Kaplan's commentary also sees this trend .... but his analysis on what will be China's scope is limited. From what I have heard from my Chinese friends .... China's goal is to have a navy that is everywhere .... not solely in Asia or the Indian Ocean.

Will they succeed .... I have my doubts, but the Chinese are determined to pursue this course and are putting their money and resources to achieve it.