China moves out
Subtitle: stepping stones toward a new maritime strategy
By: by Christopher H. Sharman
Contributors: Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs (National Defense University)
Series: China strategic perspectives -- No. 9; China strategic perspectives (National Defense University. Institute for National Strategic Studies) -- no. 9.
Publisher: National Defense University Press
Published: 2015
Place of publication: Washington, D.C
Language: eng
Number of pages: 47
Subjects: Sea-power; Naval strategy; Military policy; Strategic aspects; China. Zhongguo ren min jie fang jun. Hai jun; China
Description: "Over the last decade, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has increased the frequency, duration, complexity, and distance from the mainland of its operations. Not only does China maintain a permanent counterpiracy escort flotilla in the Indian Ocean, it also now routinely conducts naval exercises and operations beyond the first island chain throughout the year. This normalization of PLAN operations in the Western Pacific and beyond is an important step toward an emerging new maritime strategy that will incorporate far seas defense ... This monograph begins by examining the geography, history, and strategic focus of near seas active defense, China's current maritime strategy. It illustrates how the New Historic Missions expanded PLAN mission requirements from traditional near seas operating areas to operations in the far seas. The paper provides a strategic framework for a new maritime defense strategy that would incorporate far seas capabilities. It then examines the evolution of PLAN operations and exercises since 2004. The monograph concludes by identifying several factors that, if observed, would indicate PLAN incorporation of far seas defense as part of an emerging new maritime strategy"--Executive summary.
Notes: "April 2015"--Title page.

"Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University"--Cover.

"This paper was originally presented at the Chinese Council for Advanced Policy Studies-RAND Corporation-National Defense University 26th Annual Conference on the People's Liberation Army on November 21-22, 2014, at the RAND Corporation office in Arlington, Virginia"--Inside cover.

Format not distributed to depository libraries.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 40-45).

Also available online in PDF format from National Defense University (NDU) Press web site.
Table of contents: title: Executive summary; title: Introduction; title: Near seas defense strategy; title: New Historic Missions; title: Strategic framework for a new maritime defense strategy; title: Enhancing fundamentals : 2004-2006; title: Initial steps into the Western Pacific : 2007-2009; title: Normalization of Western Pacific deployments : 2010-2012; title: Stepping stones toward far seas defense : 2013-2014; title: Indicators of a maritime strategy that includes far seas defense; title: Conclusion.