Publication

This paper examines the evolution of Chinese naval power and its consequent impact on East Asian security. The author argues that the 1970s marked a key turning point in the national recognition of Chinese maritime interests and the need to secure and promote them. She states that the Chinese navy has an offshore forward defense strategy and is in the midst of an extensive and ambitious naval modernization program. The reconfiguration of Chinese naval power, she postulates, poses a potential threat to East Asian stability and security, with China's increasing capacity to challenge the territorial status quo in Asia and to alter significantly the regional balance of power.