China Masses One Hundred Ships Off its Coast in a Show of Force

What Happened?

This week, China deployed a naval fleet of one hundred ships off its eastern coast in a large-scale show of force. Taking place during the traditional time of year when China’s military conducts its biggest exercises, the massing of ships represents the largest Chinese naval maneuver in decades. 

The Chinese ships have been gathering in waters ranging from the southern portion of the Yellow Sea through the East China Sea and down into the contested South China Sea, as well as into the Pacific, according to several news and intelligence agencies.

Why it Matters

A show of force is a demonstration of power, where military units display their prowess in a highly visible way to intimidate potential adversaries or impress domestic audiences. China’s show of naval force off its eastern coast comes after Japan’s prime minister said that any Chinese attack on Taiwan would result in a military response from Tokyo. Japan’s more aggressive stance angered many in China, and the beefed-up naval exercises likely constitute a response.

There are two kinds of warfare, position and maneuver. In position warfare, a force must defend a fixed location, and in maneuver warfare, a force must conduct coordinated movement to achieve their objectives. Military units constantly train for both, conducting regular exercises to hone their abilities to successfully engage in each type of warfare. China’s naval exercises off its coast are an example of training for maneuver warfare at sea. 

In addition to offering a response to Japan, China’s naval show of force is also likely a message to Taiwan, namely that China possesses the military capability to make good on its threats to possibly invade Taiwan in the future. Tsai Ming-yen, director-general of Taiwan's National Security Bureau, said, ‘we must anticipate the enemy as broadly as possible and continue to watch closely for any changes in related activities.’ The current large-scale massing of Chinese ships was not as of Thursday near Taiwanese waters.

It is important to note China’s growing military capabilities are extending beyond what would be required for territorial defense of China. Most of the new naval and air capabilities China is building are designed for offensive operations, not defense. That doesn’t mean Beijing has made any decisions to attack neighboring countries, but it does mean that China now possesses the military capabilities needed to do so. 

How it Affects You

Chinese leaders have invested significant resources in growing China’s military capabilities with the likely aim of challenging the United States for supremacy in the Pacific region. These latest naval exercises indicate that China is making progress towards building a military force capable of projecting power far beyond China’s coast and into the Pacific region.