Examining the force structure, doctrine, and capabilities of China’s PLA Navy after decades of modernization and rapid shipbuilding.

The recent Japan–Philippines pact is not simply about defense. It is about determining whether the most stabilizing elements of the old order can be salvaged via minilateralism and conventional deterrence. Failure means fragmentation, and ‘might’ eclipsing ‘right’ in the Indo-Pacific.

Beijing’s ideal unification scenario is a ‘war without harm’ – Taiwan’s unconditional surrender in the face of overwhelming hybrid warfare and military pressure. Here’s what this scenario might look like, and what Taipei can do to prepare.

China’s CSSC merger is more than a business deal. It is a geopolitical declaration, a signal that Beijing intends to dominate not only the oceans but also the industrial means of sustaining that dominance.

Despite global economic reach and advanced missiles and aircraft carriers, it’s simple geography that will continue to delineate the limits of China’s maritime ambitions.

Distributed Maritime Ops seeks to increase the resilience of US forces against Chinese A2/AD threats by complicating enemy targeting and leveraging technological advantages, but success is still contingent on the robustness of US logistics and industrial support.

Where conventional merchant marines are typically commercial outfits that can be repurposed for military logistics in times of war, China’s merchant marine is political by design.

Examining China’s military-wide modernization program, which is expanding Beijing’s power projection capabilities and rapidly narrowing the qualitative gap with the United States.

Though Beijing has taken several steps to alleviate its ‘Malacca Dilemma,’ China remains vulnerable as ever to a naval blockade in a hypothetical conflict with the US Navy, at least in the short-term.

The prospect of a Taiwan blockade by the PLA is increasingly floated as a less costly alternative to a full-on invasion of the island, but any blockade involves its own geopolitical risks.

Exploring the history, composition, and tactics of the ‘little blue men’ of China’s littoral waters – the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia.

A response to US attempts to contain China’s military expansion, China’s Blue Dragon strategy envisions a widening PLA Navy footprint in three critical maritime arenas: the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

The year 2024 will witnesses a dynamic and assertive China, challenging the existing global order across economic, military, and diplomatic fronts.

Beijing’s acquisition of overseas ports and expansion of PLA Navy projection capabilities shows all the signs of a classic security dilemma.

Invading Taiwan would involve a host of political and military risks for the Chinese Communist Party, suggesting that it’s still unlikely to occur in the immediate future.

China’s Zhu Hai Yun is the first drone carrier ever launched, marking a potential turning point in the evolving field of ‘drone swarm’ combat. It won’t be the last.

A new security deal between China and the Solomon Islands is the latest reflection of a global order in flux.

New security imperatives are giving rise to new policy dilemmas for Japan’s government.

The latest defense department report on China’s military modernization suggests that Beijing is rapidly closing the capability gap with Western peers, particularly with regard to air, sea, and missile forces.

In pursuing a total military overhaul and an aircraft carrier program, President Moon Jae-in is ensuring that South Korea is prepared for the geopolitical uncertainties that lie ahead.