The submarine is well suited to these waters – providing political influence and military power. Concerns about the future have resulted in Japan and other countries in the region reviewing their military options. More recently, Australia’s decision to buy nuclear powered submarines angered the Chinese government. Within days of the announcement PLAN forces mounted aggressive exercises near Taiwan and flew bombers over the island.
Since the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, when Chinese students called for political reform, which resulted in a massacre in which hundreds died, Beijing has done little to shed its ‘dictatorial and bullying reputation’. Growth in maritime force is central to Beijing’s bold economic ambitions and the ‘Rise of the Dragon’ is growing at a pace. Access to global oceans is critical to Beijing’s economic strategy alongside an expanding navy – which is increasingly seen as adopting an aggressive and intimidating posture towards its neighbours. In just over four decades, the navy, officially known as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has developed a strong blue-water fleet. Today, its focus is on submarine capability as it strives to be the preeminent military power in the world. To protect its waters, the People’s Liberation Army Navy operates three fleets. The North Sea Fleet is based in the Yellow Sea with its headquarters in Qingdao Shandong Province. The East Sea Fleet covers the East China Fleet and operates from Ningbo in Zhejiang Province and the South Sea Fleet which is deployed from a base at Zhanjiang in Guangdong Province.
Beijing’s ambition to control economic trade in the Far East is being achieved under the shadow of its military intimidation.
