China’s Naval activities in the South China Sea (SCS) and the Indian Ocean have raised concerns in the region. China has been conducting naval drills, including setting up navigation restriction zones in disputed SCS. These drills are not limited to Southeast Asian Waters, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has increased its activities in the Indian Ocean with the intention to dominate the regional geopolitics. In September 2023, according to leaked US Navy intelligence, China’s shipbuilding capacity vastly surpasses that of the United States, with a capacity 232 times greater. The leaked briefing slide, titled ‘PLAN vs. USN Naval Force Laydown’, indicated that China’s shipyards can handle over 23.2 million tons, compared to the US capacity of less than 100,000 tons. This becomes a concern as China has been increasing its naval footprint throughout the world, focusing on securing access to ports and terminals and setting up bases abroad. China operates commercial ports in many countries like Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and has a naval base in Djibouti which poses a potential threat in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). And now China is looking to increase its presence through a naval base on the Western African coast towards the Atlantic Ocean. This revelation underscores China’s rapid expansion in naval capabilities, with projections suggesting a fleet of 440 ships by 2030. Such activities of China have implications for the regional stability and security. Here, we try to analyze a few of such activities and events that made news in the past few months.
1. Increasing Domestic Capabilities
• Chinese President Xi Jinping appointed Adm. Dong Jun as China’s defence minister, marking the first time a naval officer assumed this role. Dong’s extensive experience, including leadership roles in the PLAN and operational assignments in the Chinese military’s Eastern and Southern theatre commands, provides him with an unprecedented background that underscores Xi’s priorities, with Taiwan being of utmost importance.
• China’s PLAN hosted the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) Workshop 2024 in Nanjing, on 16 January, focusing on the revision and updating of documents including the WPNS Business Charter, the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea and the Disaster Response Guide, as well as future WPNS activities. Delegates from 23 WPNS member states including China, Australia, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia
