MODERNISATION OF PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY (PLAN) AND

IMPACTS ON CHINA’S MARITIME SECURITY

BY

ABDUL AZIM BIN OTHMAN

0
 ABSTRACT

The modernization of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) team has

grown rapidly since the end of the Cold War in 1991. This study was conducted to study

the modernization of the PLAN and the impact on maritime security. The study has three

objectives. First, identify the challenges of the modernization of the PLAN, both of

which review the modernization of the PLAN. Third, analyzing PLAN modernization of

its maritime safety. Sea Power theory is used to describe China's actions to safeguard its

national interests. This study uses qualitative methods with secondary data collected

from printed reviews and electronic data. The findings show that, first china modernizes

the PLAN for its national interest ie maintaining economic interests. Secondly, China

has increased control over waters, especially in the South China Sea to protect its

territorial sovereignty. Third, China is trying to become a global player as a contributor

to help internationally. This study summarizes the modernization of China's PLAN is

not a hegemony or preparation for war but only to safeguard its national interests only.

1
 CHAPTER 1

1.0 Introduction

When the Cold WAr end in 1991, the fall of Soviet Union as one of the super

powers, leaving United States of America as a single hagemony power in the world.

However, China has become a major power in the world and is regarded as the closest

challenger to the world's only super power, United State of America. China's progress

and strength is due to several important factors including rapid growths in economic

development sebsequently with its political laverage in international affairs and militay

power including its cultural influence to the world. With China's fast economic growth

and in an effort to integrate this progress into the global system, Chinese leaders

overview the first 20 years of the 21st century as 'important moment of strategic

opportunity' for China. (Hu Jintao, 2013). As an emerging major power in the world, the

military forces of the nation must have the capability to undergo missions domestically

and externally to safeguards the nation from any threats and as a continuation of the

political means of the nation. In the course of military construction and enlargement of

Chinese military power in the context of maritime power, President Hu Jintao said, "We

must increase our ability to exploit marine resources ... To strictly guard China's

maritime interest and build China into a powerful maritime power." Based on China's

mission to maintain national sovereignty while protecting the country's national

interests, the PLAN has been upgraded and changed from brown water navy to the blue

water navy.

2
 The emergence of China has became an international attention as it is seen as

posing a challenge of “incumbent hagemony’’ created by the “rising power” that leads to

the creation of the new world order. China nowdays is the most fast growing economy in

the world. The phenomenon of the rising of China has become significant attention to

the entire globe and has posed a severe threat to the whole world. Because of that

reason, to prevent an incoming and unexpected threats towards China, the military

forces needed to be stronger than before.

The modernisation of China’s navy continue rapidly with the full supports from

the goverment under the administration of Xi Jinping. President Xi Jinping has made

many great transformtions to China and has started the “New Era” of the PRC. The

consistent economic growth and development are the factors that raise China as a major

world power needed to be protected from all kind of threats. Because of that, the military

forces of China needed to be upgraded for the continuation in the political means of

China.

The PLAN has showed impressive transformation and growth since the 1980s and

continue to pursue an aggressive naval modernisation for strenghthening the China’s

naval force. The ancient China’s navy once dependent on land-based support and

comprised mostly of patrol craft has shifted towards a force more capable of

independent operations, made of of major combatants, and able to project power along

China’s circumference and around the world.1 Focusing to China’s improvements in its

1 Anthony H. Cordesman. The PLA Navy. (Centre For Strategic & International Studies, 2016)

3
air and missile capabilities, the PLAN gives China the capability to defend its coasts

against any form of enemies’s interference, project power beyond its coasts, and

potentially to limit or deter the U.S. from action in Northeast Asia, the South China Sea,

and Taiwan. Over time, it will tranform China’s overall mix of naval-airmissile power to

a true “blue water” Navy, one capable of operating far into the Pacific Ocean, the Strait

of Malacca, and Indian Ocean, with the ability to launch nuclear-armed missiles from its

submarines.

PLA Navy has transformed from brown water navy to green water navy. After the

modernasation of China increases rapidly, the PLA Navy transformed from green water

navy to the blue water navy. Brown water navy are defined as a maritime forces that

operates in freshwater, river and in estuary operations and commonly conducted not

more than 12 nautical miles limit. Green water navy brought the definition of a maritime

forces operating in littoral zone to 200 nautical miles (379 km), in the economic

exclusive zone (EEZ). They are includes coastguard roles and has the coastal protection

capabilities. The blue water navy means the navy which is capable of operating in Blue-

water (deep water) and open ocean with the naval capability. The naval operations are

done outside of the EEZ boundries, more than 200 nautical miles. The blue water navy

also can be defined as a naval forces that has warships and air carrier that are designed

and intended for extended fleet operations on the open ocean, while maintaining a

significant war-fighting capability and regularly uses them in such a manner for doctrine

practices and naval exercises.

4
1.2 Problem Statement

This academic paper was conducted to examine the modernisation of the PLAN as

one of the major power and the impact on China’s maritime security. In this twenty-first

century China has a very rapid development in the international and global economy.

This development involves a wide range of business and trade activities domestically

and internationally. In order to safeguard the interests of the nation as well as enhance

the country's defense and security against any enemy threats, modernisation in the

military needs to be done more widely. In the context of maritime security, trade abroad

through sea roads is very important as trade abroad and into China has been practiced for

centuries and is still ongoing. With the strengthening of China's maritime power and the

modernization of China's navy assets will be able to ensure the continuity of trade

activities through the sea. Additionally, China also influenced neighbouring countries as

well as regional countries plays an crucial role in the development and modernization of

the Chinese navy. When Chinese navy have the capabilities to undergo military

operations and to operate naval exercises in the open seas, then they can secure the

safety of the country .in the continuation of the economic activities and have the

dominance in the deep water areas.

1.3 Research Objectives

There are three objectives that can be found in this study. The first objective is to

examine about the maritime security threats faced by the PLA Navy and the challenges

5
along the modernisation of the PLA Navy. The great influences of China has posed

many threats to the neighbouring countries, including southeast asia’s countries and

even the western countries. China try to achieve a greater degree of control or gaining

domination over the South China Sea as it is the main key for the enlargemnet of the

maritime forces of the PLA Navy in order to defend China’s territorial claims in the

South China Sea and East China Sea and generally Other than that, removing U.S.

influence in the Western Pacific and asserting China’s status as a leading regional power

and major world power is one way of China using the concept of balance of power to

gain more control in the maritime regions. China also flexing its muscle in the Bay of

Bengal and Indian Ocean and caused displeasure to India2

The second objective is to examine about the PLAN and its modernisation. As a

major power that have rapid growths in economic and has a great influences in the South

China Sea and Asia Pacific, PLA Navy is needed to safeguards their maritime safety and

its territorial waters. China’s naval modernisation effort encircle a wide platform of

weapon accession programs, including anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), anti-ship

cruise missiles (ASCMs), submarines, surface ships, aircraft, unmanned vehicles (UVs)

and supporting C4ISR (command and control, communications, computers, intelligence,

surveillance, and reconnaissance) systems.

The third goal of this academic paper is to examine the the impact of PLA Navy

modernisation towards China’s maritime security.

2The Times of India. Malabar Exercise is A Signal To China We Are One: US Commander. (2017). Retrived from
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/malabar-is-a-signal-to-china-we-are-one-us-
commander/articleshow/59534938.cms

6
1.4 Literature review

The review of the work in this study is divided into three themes. The first is

about the PLAN and its modernisation. The second theme is connected with maritime

security threats and challenges faced by the PLA Navy to implement the modernasation

of the PLA Navy by the forces of its naval personnel and to the naval assets. And for the

third theme is about strategic reasons for the modernisation of PLAN in the domestic

level and internationally and the impact on the China’s maritime security.3

1.4.1 PLAN’s Modernisation

Among the works related to the PLA Navy and its modernization were the PLAN

by Anthony H. Cordesman (2016), Chinese Navy Modernisation: Implication for U.S.

Navy Capabilities-Background and Issues for Congress (2017), The PLA Navy-New

Capabilities and Missions for 21 Century by Office of Naval Intelligence (2013) and The

Chinese Navy Expanding Capabilities, Evolving Roles by Phillip C. Saunders. (2011).

The Peoples’s Liberation Army Navy by Anthony H. Cordesman (2016) discuss

about the plan of modernisation of The PLA Navy and it has been showing impressive

transformation and growth since the 1980s continues to pursue an ambitious naval

modernisation program. Nowdays, the chinese navy are focusing on needed the ability to

operate at longer ranges, to rapidly concentrate combat power, and to be capable of

defeating an opposing navy in the open ocean. For the PLAN, developing these

3Dhara P. Shah. China’s Maritime Security Strategy: An Assessment Od The White Paper on Asia-Pacific Security
Cooperation. (Taylor & Franci Online, 2017)

7
capabilities required the procurement of more modern vessels and the personnel

qualified to crew them.4

In the PLA Navy-New Capabilities and Missions for 21 Century by Office of

Naval Intelligence Washington DC (2013) explore about the naval strategy and

missions. PLA Navy undergo the modernisation with the increase the naval assets,

personnel training, naval exercises and joint operations. PLA Navy structure and

leadership and maritime claims, focusing on securing China’s “Blue Territory”. 5

Although the PLA Navy primary focus remains in the East Asia region, where China

faces multiple disputes over the sovereignty of various maritime features and associated

maritime rights, in recent years, the PLA Navy has increased its focus on developing

blue-water naval capabilities. Over the long term, Beijing aspires to sustain naval

missions far from China’s shores. Other than that, the efforts in China’s navy

modernisation appeared to be focused less on increasing total platform, for example the

numbers of ships and air crafts, rather than on increasing the modernity and capability of

Chinese naval assets. Changes in platform capability and the percentage of the force

produced for by modern platforms had generally been more dramatic than changes in

total platform numbers.

1.4.2 Maritime Security Threats and Challenges to PLA Navy

4Anthony H. Cordesman. The PLA Navy. (Centre For Strategic & International Studies, 2016). Retrived from
https://csis-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/161024_PLAN_Final.pdf
5 VADM Yoji Koda, JMSDF (Ret.) China’s Bluewater Navy Series: China’s Blue Water Navy Strategy and Implications
(Japan: Centre for New American Security. 2017). Retrieved from
https://s3.amazonaws.com/files.cnas.org/documents/Koda_BWN.pdf

8
 In this term, the works that connected with this academic paper is China Naval

Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities, Background and Issues for

Congress by Ronald O’Rourke, (2017), China’s Blue Water Navy Strategy and its

Implications by Yoji Koda, JMSDF (Ret.) (2017), Maritime Security in the Asia Pacific

by The Royal Institute of International Affair, (2015) and China’s Growing Indian

Ocean Maritime Interests: Sowing the Seed of Conflict? by Jaimie Hatcher, (2013).

In the China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—

Background and Issues for Congress by Ronald O’Rourke, (2017) is discussing about

the threats or corcerned by the U.S. about the emerging forces of PLA Navy. China’s

navy has become a formidable military force within China’s near-seas region, and it is

conducting a growing number of operations in more-distant waters, including the

broader waters of the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and waters around Europe.6

Because of that, China needed to keepon maintaing the balance of power in order to

prevent the assault and reduce domination of U.S. in its maritime territory.

In Maritime Security in the Asia Pacific by The Royal Institute of International

Affair, (2015) is exploring about the issues on the territorial disputes issues in the South

China Sea that continued and ethnic conflicts in the region with long historical roots.

This is a big challenge to China is order to keep their dominance in the regionl areas.

Other than than, the non-traditional threats in the maritime security such as sea robbery

6Ronald O’Rourke, China Naval Modenrnisation: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities-Background and Issues for
Congress (U.S.: Congressional Research Service, 2017). Retrieved from https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33153.pdf

9
and growth of ‘indiscriminate terrorism’ by regional terrorist organisations that continue

to thrive in spite of the on-going war against terror.

Moreover, in the works of China’s Growing Indian Ocean Maritime Interests:

Sowing the Seed of Conflict? by Jaimie Hatcher, (2013) is focusing on the examination

of state responses to Chinese activities in the region is provided, concluding that

concerned states are responding to China’s growing influence with predominantly

balancing or containing strategies. This paper therefore concludes China is sowing the

seeds of conflictin the region to safeguard energy supplies.

1.4.3 Cooperation of the PLA Navy with Other Forces, in Terms of the Bilateral

and Multilateral Relations and the Strategic Reasons for the Modernisation

of People’s Liberation Army Navy in the Domestic Level and Globally.

In the third theme, the work that used by the researcher is Strengthening

Maritime Cooperation in East Asia by Osman Patra, (2015), Scientific Cooperation in

the South China Sea by Sophie Boisseau du Rocher, (2016) and China’s ‘Belt and Road’

Initiative: Challenges and Opportunities by Peter Wolff, (2016).

The Strengthening Maritime Cooperation in East Asia by Osman Patra, (2015)

discuss about the number of ongoing maritime problems that demand greater attention

from the littoral states, including issues such as crime and other illegal activities that

complicate the challenge of ensuring good order at sea and impact the safety and

10
 security of the region.The cooperation between naval forces is needed to be done to

prevent and solve this problem.

Next, Scientific Cooperation in the South China Sea by Sophie Boisseau du

Rocher, (2016) mentioned that The South China Sea is regularly examined as a source

of constant security tension, whereas analysis of scientific cooperation in the area is

rare, thinly spread and short. However, scientific cooperation in maritime matters, and

particularly in the South China Sea, does exist. The maritime cooperation can be done

in many ways including the by diplomatic relations, making policies and undergo the

naval operations with other naval forces.

1.5 Theoritical Framework

This study used the theory of sea power written by Thayer Mahan. Sea power theory

by Mahan stated that the command of the sea is “a country having global power or

influence on the sea”.7 With having a sea power, a country can use it as a deterrance to

prevent the attack from other countries. Using this definition, there may be more than

one country that exercises sea power at any one time. China undergo a rapid

development in their economic domestically and internationally and have active trading

activities by using the sea line of communication. Maritime has become a very important

medium for China to undergo their economic activities since the early to mid-1990s. The

PLA Navy is needed to be enlarged and modernized in order to protect the commerce

7 Francis A. Lees, China Superpower: requisities for high growth (New York: Machilan Press, 2013), p.40.

11
activities of China’s in the maritime areas. The enlargement of PLA Navy and its

modernasation are based on the theory of command of the sea by Thayer Mahan. Mahan

developed and demonstrated the idea that sea power was not an auxiliary or supporting

influence, but of primary and strategic importance. He frequently holds England up as

the best example of strategic naval power and their success during the Napoleonic wars

underlines his basic strategic message. “It was not by attempting great military

operations on land, but by controlling the sea, and through the sea the world outside

Europe, that… ensured the triumph of their country.” (Mahan 2009: 5). This theory is

related to the expansion and modernisation of PLA Navy because of the maritime forces

that China building right now is the medium to control the maritime territories,

expanding their EEZ and to control the sea line of communications for the economic

purposes.

The concept used in this studies is the balance of power. A balance of power is

a state of stability between competing forces. In international relations, it refers to

equilibrium among countries or alliances to prevent any one entity from becoming too

strong and thus gaining the ability to enforce its will upon the rest. China want to

reduce and displacing U.S. influence in the Western Pacific asserting China’s status

as a leading regional power and major world power. Consistent with these goals,

observers believe China wants its military to be capable of acting as an anti-

access/area-denial (A2/AD) force, a force that can deter U.S. intervention in a conflict

in China’s near-seas region over Taiwan or some other issue like the territorial

disputes in the South China Sea, or failing that, delay the arrival or reduce the

effectiveness of intervening U.S. forces.

12
 Other than that, concept of sovereignty is used in this studies. The definition of

sovereignty applies to supreme public power, which has the right and, in theory, the

capacity to impose its authority in the last instance. It refers in particular to

independence, understood as the freedom of a collective entity to act. PLA Navy

trying to protect the national interests of the country and the sovereignty of the nation

in the maritime region by upgrading the maritime forces and to avoid the interference

from external powers in their regions.

1.6 Methodology

The researcher used the qualitative method where some data is collected through

secondary data obtained through library research. The approach used allowed the

researcher to gather information and to understand the situation deeply from the vague

reading sources that had been completed by scholars. These include scientific books,

journal articles, public domain releases and government security and defense policies.

All the data were collected from secondary data. Reports from several departments and

organizations are taken to be analyzed. Among them are the MMRE Official Annual

Report, the Marine Department of Malaysia, Library of National Defense University of

Malaysia and Library of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Other than that, journals,

magazines and periodicals are obtained from the National Defense University of

Malaysia (UPNM) Library and the Malaysian Maritime Institute Library.

13
 Other than that, materials from the internet will also be used for information

other than the magazine, newspaper and blogs that are believed to be. These materials

are used as the latest reference material so researchers are aware of the latest issues

regarding the subjects being studied.

1.7 Scope and limitation of the research

The main actor in this study is PLA Navy. The other actor that influenced the

People’s Liberation Army Navy’s changes is the U.S and the countries in south east

Asia. The studies is focusing the modernisation of PLA Navy in the peroid of five years,

starting from 2013 until 2017.

1.8 Significance of study

This study is important and relevant as it will shape the geopolitical pattern of

China as well as neighboring countries and also includes the others major power and the

only super power, United States of America. This study will be able to enhance existing

knowledge about the maritime security issues in Pacific Asia as well as Southeast Asia,

especially in China.

1.9 Organization of chapters

This study covers five chapters. Chapter I is the preamble of the study beginning

with the discussion on the issue of Maritime Safety in general. This chapter will discuss

14
the problem statement of the study, the objectives of the study, the importance, the

assumptions of the study and the methodology of the study as a guiding framework for

initiating the study.

Chapter II answers the first objective of the People’s Liberation Army Navy and

its modernisation. A random discussion of the formation of this team is the beginning of

this chapter. The background analysis of modernization faced by this team will be

briefly discussed starting from 2013 until 2017.

Chapter III will be covering the research about the maritime security threats

faced by the PLA Navy and the challenges along the modernastion of the PLA Navy and

thus answer questions on the second objective. Other than than, this chapter also will be

covering the threats that faced by China towards its modernisation and the importance to

overcome the threats.

Chapter IV anwers the third objective which is the impact of the PLA Navy

modernisations towards China’s maritime security.

Chapter V is the conclusion about the China’s maritime power, the challenges

that they faced, the modernisation occured in the PLA Navy and the impacts on the

China’s maritime security.

15
 CHAPTER 2

MARITIME THREATS AND CHALLENGES TO THE PLA NAVY

2.1 Location and Geography

MAP 1

Source : http://ontheworldmap.com/china/china-location-map.htm
From the map in Figure 1, it shows the location of China is located in the

continent of Asia. Asia has both the highest and the lowest points on the surface of

Earth. Other than that, it has the longest coastline compared to other continent, the

world’s widest climatic extremes and produce variables of vegetation and become the

habitat of many animals’ life on Earth. The pointing red arrow to the second picture in

16
shows in the China’s geographical view, China is located in the Eastern Asia and sharing

the borders with Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea,

Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam.8 It also

has a very long coastline with the total lenght about 14,500.00 km. With China’s large

geography, the country is known as the number forth of largest country in the world. Its

terrain is mostly made up of mountains, with deserts in the west and deltas and hills in

the east.9 China is an unique and independent country. It became the People's Republic

of China in 1949. Its constitution was last ratified in 2004. The capital of China is the

Beijing.10

2.2 China’s maritime security

In late 2012 the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party announced that

becoming a “maritime power” was essential to achieving national goals. This

announcement was the culminating point of over a decade of careful Chinese

consideration of, and appreciation for, the importance of the maritime domain to China’s

continued development, to China’s security, and to China’s vision of its place in the

world.

China understand the idea of maritime power in the Chinese context, maritime

power encompasses more than naval power but appreciates the importance of having a

8Robert W. Mccoll. Understanding The Georgraphy of china: An Assemblage of Pieces. (Asia Society) retrieved on
http://sites.asiasociety.org/education/VISIBLE_TRACES/curriculum/pdf/CBDessay.pdf
9Jeff Harbach, Killian Lapeyre, Patrick O’Berry and Adam Staley. China: Geography and Demographics. (Utexas,
2010)
10

17
world-class navy. The maritime power equation includes a large and effective coast

guard, a world-class merchant marine and fishing fleet, a globally recognized

shipbuilding capacity and an ability to harvest or extract economically important

maritime resources, especially fish. But in order to protect the continuity of the economy

developments in China, domestically and internationally, PLA Navy needed to have

modernisation for their assets and improvement in the strategics to enable the PLA Navy

to conduct military operations beyond China’s maritime territories and protect the

merchant activities from China at the open seas.

Other than that, China strongly believed that they needed to have a strong maritime

power because of China’s strategic circumstances have changed dramatically over the

past 20 years. The dramatic growth in China’s economic and security interests abroad

along with longstanding unresolved sovereignty issues such as unification with Taiwan

and gaining complete control of land features in the East and South China Seas held by

other countries demands a focus on the maritime domain. PLA Navy also needed to

counter the non-traditional threats in china’s maritime, for example the pirates attack,

sea robbery, smuggling of goods and weapons and human trafficking. Because of that,

based on what Xi Jinping has mentioned about maritime power as an essential element

of his “China Dream,” is relevant in order to secure the maritime security of china using

the PLA Navy.11

2.3 Threats and maritime challenges to the PLA Navy

11Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt, USN (Retired). Becoming Great “Maritime Power”: A Chinese Dream. (CNA
Startegic Studies, 2016)

18
2.3.1 Non-traditional threats

Non-traditional security also can be defined as term which is contrast to traditional

security threats and referred to the factors other than military, political and diplomatic

conflicts. But it can bring threats to the survival and development of a sovereign state

and human nation as a whole.12 The end of the Cold War indicated that human security

need to be added into the security agenda. It included environmental security, economic

security and societal security. Threats to a nation were no longer only from the enemy’s

military. Non-Traditional Security (NTS) threats, also called non-military threats, began

to be factored in. Among the well- known NTS are energy, food and water which are in

a nexus. Transnational crime, terrorism, disaster relief and information security are the

example of other issues that related to the non-traditional threats.

2.3.1.1 Transnational crime

Transnational crimes are crimes that have actual or potential effect across

national borders and crimes that are intrastate but offend fundamental values of the

international community. 13 Transnational organized crime networks are especially a

potent threat to a state’s national security because of a number of reasons. The World

Bank (2013) defines an organized crime network as one that uses force and coercion for

pursuit of wealth by criminal means. Thus, going by this definition, international drug

12 Saurabh Chaudhuri. Defining Non-traditional Security Threats. (Global India Foundation, 2014)
13Jeremy Douglous, UN. How can China help addres transnational crime in Asia? (EastAsiaForum, 2017) retrieved on
http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2017/09/26/88441/

19
cartels, arms smuggling groups and maritime piracy networks can be classified as some

of the major organized crime networks. 14

Piracy brought the meaning of violence on the high seas or in the air, for private

ends, using aircraft or vessels. In the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,

piracy is defined as follows:15

"Piracy consists of any of the following acts:

1. "Any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation,

committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a

private aircraft, and directed on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft,

or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft (or) against a ship,

aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any state;

2. "Any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft

with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft;

3. "Any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described (above)"

Piracy at the seas is one of the biggest threats in the maritime security of a nation

including the China. PLAN has increasingly been training in vessel interdiction, joint

land, sea and air coordination, logistical support for forward operating fleets and anti-

14
Divya Srikanth. Non-Traditional Security Threats In The 21st century: A Review (International Journal of
Development and Conflict
15 Archbold Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice. 1999. Paragraph 25–39 at page 1976.

20
access/area denial tactics for the past 15 years. 16 The training, capability, and

preparedness of PLAN naval assets involved in China’s anti-piracy efforts. For the better

part of its existence, the PLAN had two primary missions, firstly maintaining the ability

to adequately defend the Chinese coast and secondly maintaining the ability to project

power and support land operations against China’s immediate regional neighbors,

specifically Vietnam and Taiwan. As a major power in the world and have a strong

maritime force, China can control and manage to counter the pirates activities in their

territories. So, China is launching an effort of extending their naval forces beyond

China’s claimed territories for the Chinese anti-piracy efforts in order to secure their

economies in the sea lines of communication globally. As China’s economy has become

increasingly dependent on the sea lines of communication (SLOC) for the basic free

flow of goods and commodities, especially oil, it has also increasingly viewed the

traditional security structure of the global maritime commons as both a national security

liability and an economic albatross. This expanded global presence and increased

dependence on the economy as an agent of stability has forced a reevaluation among

Chinese strategic planners. 17

Other than that, China objective to launch an effort of anti piracy globally is

because of the unchallenged power U.S. naval forces. The United States, as the central

and historically unchallenged guarantor of the security and stability of the global

maritime commons, is increasingly typecast as both China’s regional and global

strategic revival, always at the ready to contain and curtail its economic growth.

16 Patterson, Ann K. China’s Role in counter-piracy operations. (California, 2015)

17 Michael McDevitt. China as a Maritime Power. (Virginia, 2016)

21
However, rather than simply reacting and directly challenging this reality by trying to

usurp the status quo, China has adopted an innovative agenda for securing its SLOCs,

deploying naval assets, and conducting anti-piracy operations in conjunction with the

U.S. and its NATO, EU and coalition allies where it best suits Chinese interests on the

one hand, while increasingly acting in a unilateral capacity, specifically at perhaps its

most strategic choke point, the Horn of Africa.18

The best area to study China’s anti-piracy and efforts in fighting it is with the Horn

of Africa. It is an area of crucially importance to the global economic system that

considered as the commercial maritime community site and China’s own strategic and

economic interests. China’s naval operates in the area of the Horn of Africa are related

by three factors. There are independent command and control operation, unilateral

action, and an unwillingness to meaningfully integrate into other anti-piracy affiliation

that operates in the area.

Sea robbery usually mistaken that it has the same concept as piracy, but the real is

that robbery brings a different meaning. Contrary from piracy, which refers to attacks in

international waters, sea robbery occurs in territorial waters and is thus under the littoral

state’s jurisdiction.19 China is the second largest country in the growths of economic

development after U.S. in the 21th century. The PLA Navy already has the capabilities to

extend their maritime power beyond their territorial seas. As for that, PLA Navy has the

abilities to overcome and prevent the sea robbery to their merchant ships during their

18 Matthew G. Minot-Scheuermann. Chinese Anti-Piracy and the Global Maritime Commons (The Diplomat, 2016)
19 Crystal Chan. SSA: Need to diffretiate the differentiate between piracy and sea robbery. (Fairplay, 2015)

22
sails in the China’s sea line of communication. The hot areas of sea robberies usually

happened in China’s SLOC are at the Straits of Malacca (stretch of water between

Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra) and the Gulf of Aden (connecting the

Mediterranean Sea to the Red sea).

Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or

people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international

border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. Sea is a medium of choice

for the illegal smuggling of goods and people. Larger cargo quantities can be transmitted

to the sea in general with less detection risk. Illegal smuggling can also be carried on the

sea and taken to a country on a ship, such as a local fishing boat, without causing

suspicion of local authorities.

The outlaw drug trade in China is influenced by factors like history, location, size,

population, and current economic conditions. China has twenty percent of the world's

population and an oversized and increasing economy whereas controlled substance has

a very important role within the country's history since before the Primary and Second

Opium Wars within the mid-19th century.20 China's massive land mass, shut proximity

to the Golden Triangle, Golden Crescent, and various coastal cities with massive and

modern port facilities creating an attractive transit center for drug traffickers. China's

status in drug trafficking has modified considerably since the 1980s, once the country

for the first time opened its borders to trade and tourisrm when forty years of relative

20Sheldon X. Zhang. The Chinese Heroin Trade: Cross-Border Drug Trafficking in Southeast Asia and Beyond. (NYU
Press, 2015)

23
isolation. As trade with Southeast Asia and other places multiplied, so did the flow of

illicit drugs and precursor chemicals from, into and through China.

In July 2004 Chinese authorities formally recognized that comparatively restricted

quantities of North Korean medicine, principally amphetamine (also referred to as

“ice”), were shipped into China. In recent years, drug traffic from North Korea has

posed a a lot of and a lot of serious threat to Northeast China, and can be a replacement

challenge to Northeast Asia. The Northeast China market has conjointly attracted

domestic drug producers and traffickers from Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and state

provinces. This poses the danger that amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) production

factories from South China are distended and/or resettled to Northeast and North China.

If this interaction between North China and South China in ATS production and

trafficking is consolidated, China could become a serious ATS client and producer,

which might be a replacement threat to Northeast Asia. [Yong-an Zhang. drug traffic

from North Korea: Implications for Chinese Policy. (Brookings, 2010)]

Other than that, in May 2017 China and Philippine authorities made an arrest of a

drug cartel with amount more than 600 kilo of methamphetamines and it the biggest bust

since China launched a big-scale crackdown on drug-smuggling in cooperation with the

Southeast Asian nation. China is that the main supply of methamphetamine consumed

within the Philippines, that is caught within the throes of a brutal war on drugs waged by

President Rodrigo Duterte. “According to the Philippines officials, this case is that the

largest drug traffic bust done by the Philippines since China and also the Philippines

launched cooperation against cross-border drug smuggling,” the Xiamen officials also

24
stated within the statement. “It shows China’s determination to bound on drug

smuggling.”

Firearms trade in the sea became the preferred way in all regions, especially small

arms smuggling. This is because, the development of small arms and light weapons is a

major factor in the criminals activities as they use it as a weapon to conduct a crime or to

protect themselves from their rivals and enemies. In addition, by using the sea routes, the

movement for illegal trades becomes a favourite as the criminals used the fishermen

boats or the cargos in the merchant ship to hide the firearms and smuggle it into the

China.

PRC is one of the world’s top small arms producers, and the products of official

arms companies such as Norinco, make regular appearances in conflicts around the

globe.21 In 2014, Chinese arms and ammunition export totaled at $161 million, out of

that sporting and searching long guns implanted $12.75 million. Despite the country’s

position as one of the world’s largest arms producers, strict Chinese gun laws designed

to make sure the control of its own people to have the right to buy and keep arms. It can

be seen clearly as China’s growing trouble with domestic production of illegal firearms,

that have helped fuel a recent spike in crime as well as the illegal importing of firearms

particularly within the close countries.

21Zi Yang. Mapping China’s Small Arms Trade: China Illicit Domestic Gun Trade. (China Brief Volume: 15 Issue: 21,
2015)

25
 People trafficking also known as crime againts the person, has drew an incresing

awareness to the global attention. Over the past decade, trafficking of women and girls

for forced sex work, domestic servitude and many different forms of labour, such as

agriculture, mining, manufacturing, construction, cleaning and hospital services. The

most widely cited definition of human trafficking is in the United Nations Protocol to

Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (1):

‘[T]he recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means

of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of

deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or

receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over

another person, for the purpose of exploitation.’ 22

In China, human trafficking must be handled domestically and internationally.

China’s trafficking problems are at least partially already been in the history of

government policies and they won’t be resolved until that link is acknowledged and

addressed. For example, one-child-policy is the main cause of men numbers in larger

than women in China and lead to forced marriages from the foreign brides and the

increasing of prostitution.23 Other than that, forced labour and trafficking in children

also reported as the main issues for the trafficking problems in China.

22 Cathy Zimmerman. Understanding Violence Against Women and Children. (WHO, 2012)
23 Michelle Lillie. Human Trafficking in China. (Human Trafficking Search, 2014)

26
2.3.1.2 Maritime terrorism

Jane’s Intelligence Review defines maritime terrorism as ‘the deliberate creation

and exploitation of fear through violence or the threat of violence in the pursuit of

political change, in the maritime domain’. Terrorism act is usually politically motivated,

associated with sophisticated tactics and usually aims at achieving a strategic effect. 24

China has huge stakes in the peace and stability of Southeast Asia, as it is Asean’s

largest trading partner whereas the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is its third-

largest trading partner. Southeast Asia is also a vital link in the China-proposed 21st

Century Maritime Silk Road and one of the foremost likeable tourist destinations among

Chinese nationals. Also, it is vital to cut off the Southeast Asia route between the IS

group and Xinjiang separatists who use the region as a gateway to join the terrorist outfit

in Iraq and Syria. And a bomb explosion in Bangkok in August 2015 that killed 27

people and left 120 injured was confirmed to be a “revenge” attack against the Thai

government for its help to China in nabbing Xinjiang separatists smuggled into Thai

territory.

That most of the Asean member states have purchased or received through donation

some kind of Chinese weapons to combat terrorists shows China can help Southeast

Asia fight terrorism through military assistance. And the fact that the largest quantity of

the Chinese assistance requested by Duterte comprised 6,000 rifles (along with bullets

24 Major Frederick Chew, Singapore Navy. Piracy, maritime terrorism and regional interests. (Geddes, 2005)

27
for them) indicates that some countries’ under-equipped militaries might still need such

basic help from China. It is no less important for China to help in capacity building,

through mechanisms such as joint training, joint patrol, and when necessary, joint

operation. China and Thailand have held quite a few counter-terrorism drills at the

tactical level, which could be extended to include other countries, and the Chinese and

Vietnamese navies regularly patrol the Beibu Gulf. Moreover, in response to the brutal

killing of 13 Chinese sailors on the Mekong River in October 2011, law enforcers from

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand conducted 63 joint patrols on the same stream to

intercept any attacks on cargo vessels.

2.3.1.3 Territiorial disputes

Territorial disputes are a typical source of political instability and military conflict

around the world, each within the present day and throughout history. Territorial

disputes are usually associated with the possession of natural resources like rivers, fertile

farmland, mineral or oil resources though the disputes may also be driven by culture,

faith and ethnic nationalism. Territorial disputes result usually from imprecise and

unclear language in a very pact that originated the initial boundary.

Territorial disputes between China and Japan is nothing new. Tensions over the

executive management of the Senkaku islands between Japan and China became a

permanent risk within the East China Sea. Since September 2012 once Japan purchased

three of the disputed islands from their personal owner, both countries have displayed

progressively stubborn postures over territorial claims within the East China Sea.

28
Futhermore, on September 2012, China announced territorial sea baselines around the

islands. It has caused a serious tension between both countries. The most serious of

Japanese-Chinese confrontations occurred at the start of 2013. In January, two Japanese

F-15s were disorganized to intercept a Chinese spy plane that was headed for the

disputed islands. This prompted China to scramble two Japanese J-10 fighters in

response. In early February, Japan publicly accused a Chinese navy frigate of its

preparation to launch attack onto a Japanese naval ship. China denied the accusations,

claiming it absolutely was Chinese commander acting on his own accord as part of

scheduled military drills close to the disputed islands. 25 Until now, China is keeping

their maritime influences with the presence of PLA Navy around the island in order to

preserve their territorial sea baselines.

MAP 2

Source : https://www.rfa.org/english/commentaries/japan-senkaku-10252017144835.html

25Donatello Osti. The historical background to the territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands. (Analysis No. 183,
2013)

29
 The maps in Map 2 shows the Senkaku Islands which is the territorial disputes

happened between China, Japan and Taiwan. Since Sept 2012 when Japan purchased

three of the disputed islands from their private owner, both countries have displayed

increasingly stubborn postures over territorial claims within the East China Sea. China

and Japan’s scramble for oil resources and China’s uncontrolled need to flex its muscles

within region. Nationalist sentiments of both the Chinese and Japanese public are

forcing the leaders to remain stubborn instead of negotiating the dispute at this juncture

when both China and Japan are engaged in an exceedingly quiet military build-up, there

remains a scope for negotiation. Whereas China typically employs strong arm tactics, its

desirous to maintain the image of ‘peaceful rise’. Japan too is keen on the resolution of

the dispute through peaceful means. Because of this reason, the modernisation of PLA

Navy is needed for the continuity in control of the Senkaku Island.26

Moreover, the famous territorial disputes of China is the Nine-Dash Line issue in

South China Sea (SCS). China has never clearly explained the legal nature it holds on

the islands or waters within the nine-dash line. Even though its reference to historic

rights in its notes simply said that China is indeed making a historic waters or rights

claim over the waters within that line, China perhaps in an attempt to keep strategic

ambiguity and for their national interests purposes.

Chinese scholars have tried to back up its claims by presenting historical evidence

that the waters in the SCS were perceived as Chinese waters since the ancient time. The

26Meenakshi Viswanathan. Senkaku Islands: Significance, Challenges and Opportunities. (International Strategic and
Security Studies Programme, 2015)

30
main weakness in the Chinese scholars’ works is that they are only focused on records

kept by the Chinese imperial government, it does not show enough records from

neighboring countries, or countries that shared the maritime routes at time, to show that

there was a “common perception” among China and other countries that the waters in

question belonged to China. On 12 July 2016, the five arbitrators of the tribunal agreed

unanimously with the Philippines that there was no strong evidence of China to claim

the Nine-Dash Line using the historical rights. But still, China is enforcing their PLA

Navy around the Nine-Dash Line to maintain the control at the maritime regionals.

MAP 3

Source: http://www.globalrecon.net/articles/2017/3/28/9-dashed-line-an-introduction-to-the-south-
china-sea

The map in Figure 3 shows the Nine-Dash Line that have been claimed by China

from 1949 until nowdays. The nine-dashed line claims of the South China Sea comprise

31
exactly 2,000,000 square kilometers of seas, islands and rocks. As is visible within the

related maps, China’s claims meclosely to her maritime neighbors, swallowing islands

and rock features claimed by these nations. In July 2016 the Permanent Court of

Arbitration at the Hague held that China’s nine-dashed line claims had no legal basis.

The PRC disputes the ruling and still compelling to other nations on their historical

claims over the regions. Until now, there are six countries that claims the territorial of

the Nine-Dash Line which are China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and

Brunei.

2.3.2 Traditional Threat

Traditional threat is different from non-traditional threat. In the traditional threat,

the greatest danger to a country is from military threats. The core of this danger is from

another country which takes military action and endangers the core values of

sovereignty, independance and territorial integrity and lives of ordinary civilians.

United States of America is considered as the biggest threats to China’s national

security, as well as the maritime security. For much of the 20th century and also the

initial decade of the 21st century, the U.S. has enjoyed the topstanding as a dominant

player within international states system, with a hagemonic power that not achieved by

any other state from the early modern period. United States rely on its power projection

capability to gain more resources for their country, expanding their territories and to

gain influences globally. However, in recent years, this hegemony is increasingly

brought into question. China is gaining the capabilities of the blue water navy and

32
conducting military operations beyond their claimed territories and increase their

influences to other nations.

Many Chinese conceptualizations of “maritime power” embody notions of power

and management. China will not become a maritime power until it agitate the

challenges in defense of its maritime sovereignty, rights, and interests, and deal with

what it terms the threat of containment from the sea. Containment from the oceanic

territories appears to be a broad characterization of how China’s sees Obama

administration’s rebalance strategy in practice. U.S. enhanced the strenght of its

alliances with maritime partners, increasing the percentage of USN and USAF forces

assigned to the Pacific theater, assigning the newest U.S. military equipment to the

Pacific, improving relations with nations that have maritime problems with China,

enhancing the naval power of China’s neighbors and growth in multi-lateral maritime

exercises among China’s neighbors. This also includes American open source

discussions of a maritime blockade of China in case of conflict. Because of that, China’s

vision of maritime power leads naturally to the judgment that it needs robust marine

defense forces, a powerful naval power and an “advanced” maritime law enforcement

force.

2.4 Conclusion

In the nowdays modern world, the security of the maritime can threatened from many

ways and aspects. The challenges and threats to the China’s maritime security is

33
unavoidable but can be prevent and control by the PLA Navy with their naval

modernisation.

34
 CHAPTER 3

MODERNISATION OF PLA NAVY

3.1 Introduction

Several Chinese analysts have written that major power status rests on the power to

secure the seas. Traditionally, this was true not just for the United Kingdom and the

United States, but also for the Soviet Union. Sea power has become an important

medium for power projection for the major power. By using the naval assets and naval

doctrine, a state can gain control and increase their influences in the regional waters and

beyond their territorial seas. Chinese security thinking has undergone a gradual shift

toward accentuation the maritime domain. As its economy has grown up apace, the

People’s Republic of China (PRC) has become progressively enthusiatic about the

world’s oceans to sustain its economy and people and to maneuver its goods to market.

Alfred Thayer Mahan’s work on the importance of sea power also been taken as a

practice in many nations, as well as the PLA Navy. Mahan put the strain on not only

building a powerful naval force, but also establishing a strong ship and building

industry, building a strong merchant marine, including ports, shipyards, and connected

to the human infrastructure of shipwrights, shipyard workers and engineers. Sea power

is more than just a matter of building warships, it is about the control of the sea power

and protection of national interest. So, PLA Navy is clearly required to tak care of and

35
improve what it thought as “comprehensive national power” to enable PRC to advance

the projection of its naval power the world’s seas.27

The China naval force was founded on April 23, 1949. Starting from 1949 until

1955 it set up the coastal defense force, surface ship force, aviation, Marine Corps and

submarine force. The enstablisment of the early forces brought the objective of building

a light maritime combat force in order to protect their regional waters and EEZ. Starting

from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s, the most task of the navy was to conduct inshore

defensive operations. Then, after the 1980s, China’s navy has realised the importance of

advancing their naval force and created a strategic transformation to offshore defensive

operations.28 Chinese naval modernisation effort has been under construction for more

than 25 years. In the late-1980s, the design work on the first of China’s newer ship

classes, appears to have begun. China’s military modernisation effort including the naval

forces, may have been triggered or accelerated by China’s observation of U.S. military

operations against Iraq in Operation Desert Storm in 1991.29 Other than that, on 1996

incident during which the U.S. deployed two aircraft carrier strike forces to waters close

to Taiwan in counter reaction to Chinese missile tests and maritime exercises near

Taiwan. Since the end of China’s ninth Five-Year Plan in 2000, China has commenced

on an eager naval building program. The main goal was to clearly increase the ability of

the PLA Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) to stage of “blue-water” operations

within the first and second island chains (including the Philippines and Indonesia) while

27 Dean Cheng. China’s Pivot to the Sea: The Modernizing PLA Navy. (The Heritage Foundation, 2015)
28 Ministry of National Defense. PLA Navy, retrived from http://eng.mod.gov.cn/ArmedForces/navy.htm
29 Robert Farley. What Scares China’s Military: The 1991 Gulf War. (National Interest, November 24, 2014)

36
enabling ‘far-seas’ deployments around much of the globe.30 In the studies of China’s

naval power and influences, the first island chains is referred to the Yellow Sea, East

China Sea and South China Sea and the so-called the second island chain encloses the

waters of Philippine Sea that is situated between the Philippines and Guam.

Since the beginning of the new century, in study of the characteristics and laws of

local maritime wars in conditions of borderless knowledges provided by the

technologies, the navy has been striving to improve in an extensive way its capabilities

of integrated offshore operations, strategic counterattacks and strategic deterrence, and

to continously develop its capabilities of conducting cooperation and mission in distant

waters for the purpose of countering non-traditional security threats and improving the

defense cooperation between states bilaterally and multi-laterally. The reason for that is

to push forward the overall transformation for a long term means to the service. Through

almost six decades of development, a modern force for maritime operations has taken

shape, consisting of combined arms with both nuclear and conventional means of

operations.31

3.2 The PLA Navy organisation

The PLAN take on a supervision system which combining operational command

with constructing and administration, and which mainly consists of the Navy

30 James E. Fanell. In Naval Deterrence, Numbers Matter. (Geopolitical Intelligence Services, October 30, 2017)
31 Ministry of National Defense. The PLA Navy, retrieved at http://eng.mod.gov.cn/ArmedForces/navy.htm

37
Headquarters, fleets, educational institutions, test bases, and an armaments academy.32

First of all, at the highest of China's national command structure is The Central Military

Commission (CMC). The chairman of CMC is President of the People's Republic of

China (PRC), Xi Jinping, which leading the group that have the power to supervise and

decide policies for China’s armed forces. All the members of CMC consists of the

leaders of each of the General Departments of the PLA, the commander of each of the

armed services, and other selected officers that leads the specific branches in the China’s

armed forces.33 There are two of Vice Chairmen of CPC Central Military Commission,

general in the PLA Air Force, Xu Qiliang and the general in the PLA Army, Zhang

Youxia.34 Below that is the Ministry Of National Defense of China, with the current

command under the Minister of National Defense China, General Wei Fenghe, who was

served as Commander of the PLA Rocket Force, formerly known as the Second Artillery

Corps.35 General Wei Fenghe also holds the position of the Members of CPC Central

Military Commission with three other leaders which are General Li Zuocheng (Chief of

the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission), General Zhang

Shengmin (Secretary of the CMC Commission for Discipline Inspection) and Admiral

Miao Hua (Director of the Political Work Department of the Central Military

Commission). The PLA Navy is command by the Admiral Miao Hua at the headquarters

of the Ministry of National Defence of the People's Republic of China that located at the

32Ministry of National defense. The structure and organization, retrieved at

http://eng.mod.gov.cn/ArmedForces/navy.htm
33Senior Intelligence Officer. The PLA Navy: A Modern Navy Chinese Characteristics. (Office of Naval Intelligence,
2009), p. 12.
34 Dong Zhaohui. CMC Leaders. (Xinhuanet, 2018)
35 Minnie Chan. China’s Two Session 2018. (South China Morning Post, 2018)

38
Beijing and it is placed under the General Staff Department that have four-level

deparments. The first is The Headquarters Department oversees overall PLA Navy

operations, maritime exercises, communications, and intelligence. The second is the

Political Department that liable for all political work including discipline,propaganda,

officer assignments, and security. The third is the Logistics Department manages

construction of facilities, technical support to naval vessels, fuel, finance, health care,

transportation, and other important areas related to supply. Lastly and the forth is the

Armament Department provides technical support to all PLA Navy equipment and

weapons systems from concept development to retirement and managing the storage of

all range of gun ammunition torpedoes, missiles, mines and other explosive materials for

the use of all the PLA Navy ships.36

36Senior Intelligence Officer. The PLA Navy: A Modern Navy Chinese Characteristics. (Office of Naval Intelligence,
2009), p. 12-13

39
 MAP 4 : Location of the China’s Navy Fleet

Source : http:// indiastrategic.in/topstories183.htm www

Based on the map in Figure 1, it shows the location of three fleets under the

command of PLA Navy Headquarters that continously communicated between each

other for the purpose of projecting the sea power that possesed by PLA Navy to the

region beyond their territorial waters, which are North Sea Fleet (based in Yellow sea

and headquatered in Qingdao, Shandong Province), East Sea Fleet (based in the East

China Sea and headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province) and South Sea Fleet (based

in the South China Sea and headquartered in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province). Other

than that, these fleets have the rules to command, control and manage the coordination

40
of PLA Navy’s assets and naval personnel to conduct the maritime exercises and

missions using their naval doctrine and based on the China’s national interest to preserve

the peace in the nation. Each fleet has under its command fleet aviation, flotillas,

maritime garrison commands, support bases, marine brigades and aviation divisions.37 In

the PLA Navy, there are branches that made specially to conduct different type of naval

misiions based on their capabilities. The branches are PLA Navy Submarine Force. PLA

Navy Coastal Defense Force and PLA Navy Surface Force, PLA Naval Air Force and

PLA Marine Corps. The submarine force all structured into submarine bases and

submarine flotillas and equipped with nuclear-powered strategic missile submarines,

nuclear-powered attack submarines and conventional submarines. The surface force

primarily made up of air craft carrier, destroyers, missile boats, frigates, mine sweepers,

landing ships and service ships, and is organized into flotillas of destroyers, speedboats,

landing ships and combat support ships, as well as maritime garrison commands. Next is

the Marine Corps, which is a special trained troops and organized into marine brigades,

and mainly consists of marines, artillery troops, amphibious armored troops, amphibious

reconnaissance troops and engineers. The aviation group is really important consists of

fighters, bombers, fighter-bombers, patrol aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and

helicopters, all organized into aviation divisions.38

37Ministry of National Defense The People’s Republic Of China. The PLA Navy: Structure and Organization. Retrieved
at http://eng.mod.gov.cn/ArmedForces/navy.htm
38 Michael S. Chase, Kenneth W. Allen, Benjamin S. Purser III. Overview of People’sLiberation Army Air Force “Elite
Pilots’’. (Rand Corporation, 2016)

41
3.3 PLA Navy’s Modernisation

From the end of the Cold War to the present day, the Chinese Navy’s obtainment of

new vessels and simultaneous retirement of older obsolete vessels can best be

characterized as mostly modernization, coupled with a marginal expansion of total fleet

numbers as well. In the 1990s, the PLA Navy began to acquire a variety of advanced

aircraft, submarines and surface ships, as well as associated modern weapons, sensors

and combat systems. Using a combination of imported technology, reverse engineering,

and indigenous development, the PRC rapidly narrowed the technology and capability

gaps between the PLA Navy and modern navies.

3.3.1 Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBMs) and Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCMs)

The first element of PLAN’s modernisation effort is on the Anti-Ship Ballistic

Missiles (ASBMs) and Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCMs). 39 China is fielding an

ASBM, referred to as the DF-21D, that is a theater-range ballistic missile equipped with

a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV) designed to moving hit ships at sea. A second

type of Chinese theater-range ballistic missile, the DF-26, may also have an anti-ship

capability. Department of defence in U.S. states that:

“China’s conventionally armed CSS-5 Mod 5 (DF-21D) anti-ship ballistic missile

(ASBM) gives the PLA the capability to attack ships, including aircraft carriers, in the

western Pacific Ocean. In 2016, China began fielding the DF-26 intermediate-range

39Ronald O’Rourke. China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities-Background and Issues for
Congress. (Congressional Research Service, 2018)

42
ballistic missile (IRBM), which is capable of conducting conventional and nuclear

precision strikes against ground targets and conventional strikes against naval targets

in the western Pacific Ocean.”40

China’s ASBMs has become a big concern to the security’s observers around the

world because such missiles posses the capabilities of broad-area maritime surveillance

and targeting systems, will give China the access to attack aircraft carriers, other U.S.

Navy ships, or ships of allied or partner navies operating in the

Western Pacific. Previously, the U.S. Navy has not faced any threat from highly highly

accurate ballistic missiles capable of hitting moving ships at sea. For this reason,

ASBMs is considered as a “game-changing” weapon by the observers in China.41

2.3.2 Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles (ASCMs)

Among the most capable of the new ASCMs that have been acquired by China’s

navy are the Russian-made SS-N-22 Sunburn (carried by China’s four Russian-made

Sovremenny-class destroyers) and the Russian-made SS-N-27 Sizzler (carried by 8 of

China’s 12 Russian-made Kilo-class submarines). China’s large inventory of ASCMs

also includes several indigenous designs, including some highly capable models. DOD

states that:

“China deploys a wide range of advanced ASCMs with the YJ-83 series as the most

40 2017 DOD CMSD, p. 31. See also 2009 ONI Report, pp. 26-27
41For further discussion of China’s ASBM and its potential implications for U.S. naval forces, see Andrew S.
Erickson,“Raining Down: Assessing the Emergent ASBM Threat,” Jane’s Navy International, March 16, 2016.

43
numerous, which are deployed on the majority of China’s ships as well as multiple

aircraft. China has also outfitted several ships with YJ-62 ASCMs and claims that the

new LUYANG III class DDG (Guided Missiles Destroyer) and future Type 055 CG will

be outfitted with a vertically launched variant of the YJ-18 ASCM. The YJ-18 is a long-

range torpedo-tube-launched ASCM capable of supersonic terminal sprint which has

likely replaced the older YJ-82 on SONG, YUAN, and SHANG class submarines. China

has also developed the long range supersonic YJ-12 ASCM for the H-6 bomber. At

China’s military parade in September 2015, China displayed a ship-to-ship variant of

the YJ-12 called the YJ-12A. China also carries the Russian SS-N-22 SUNBURN on four

Russian built SOVREMENNYY-class DDGs and the Russian SS-N-27b SIZZLER on

eight Russian built KILO-class submarines.”42

3.3.3 Submarines, Mines, and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)

The PLA Navy is paying a high attention on their submarine’s modernisation.

ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence) stated that:

“China has long regarded its submarine force as a critical element of regional

deterrence, particularly when conducting “counter-intervention” against modern

adversary. The large, but poorly equipped [submarine] force of the 1980s has given way

42 2017 DOD CMSD, p. 57.

44
to a more modern submarine force, optimized primarily for regional anti-surface

warfare missions near major sea lines of communication.”43

Since the mid-1990s China has acquired 12 Russian-made Kilo-class non-

nuclear-powered attack submarines and put into service at least four new classes

submarines, including the following a new nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN)

design called the Shang class or Type 093.44 Other than that, a new nuclear-powered

ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) design called the Jin class or Type 094, another (and

also fairly new) SS design called the Song class or Type 039/039G and a new SS design

called the Yuan class or Type 039A.

These new classes of indigenously submarines are more modern and capabe than

China’s aging older-generation submarines. These indegously built designs are believed

to have benefitted from Russian submarine technology and design know-how.45

Other than that, China has expanded its force to expand the production of their nuclear-

powered attack submarines (SSNs). In service, two SHANG-class SSNs (Type 03) and

China is building four improved variants of SHANG-class SSN that will replace the

aging HAN-class SSNs (Type 01). For the future, China has planned to build Type 05

guided-missile attack submarine (SSGN), which capable of conducting a submarine-

43[Hearing on] Trends in China’s Naval Modernization [before] U.S. China Economic and Security Review
Commission[,] Testimony [of] Jesse L. Karotkin, [Senior Intelligence Officer for China, Office of Naval Intelligence,
January 30, 2014], accessed February 12, 2014, p. 7. See also Lyle J. Goldstein, “Old-School Killers: Fear China’s
Sea Mines,” National Interest, October 14, 2015.
44Some sources state that a successor to the Shang class SSN design, called the Type 095 SSN design, is in
development
45The August 2009 ONI report states that the Yuan class may incorporate quieting technology from the Kilo class.
(2009 ONI Report, p. 23.)

45
based land-attack. Futhermore, Type 05 will fulfill traditional antiship roles with the

incorporation of torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs). PLAN’s mainstay

submarine force remains the diesel-powered attack submarine (SS). PLA Navy

possesses 13 SONG-class SS (Type 039) and 12 YUAN-class SSP (Type 039A). YUAN

class is China's first air-independent propulsion (AIP) powered submarine and presumed

to be one of the quietest diesel-electric submarine classes in service.46

3.3.4 Aircraft Carriers

The entry of China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning (Type 001) into service

since 2012 has attracted numerous attention of military observers around the world. It is

the symbol of China’s global power that projected by using the PLAN. The Liaoning

used to be known as Varyag, it is a refurbished from ex-Ukranian aircraft carrier which

China bought from Ukraine in 1998 as an unfinished ship.47 Liaoning’s air wing consist

of 24 J-15 fighters, 6 anti-submarine warfare helicopters, 4 airborne early warning

helicopters, and 2 rescue helicopters, for a total of 36 aircraft.48

China’s second aircraft carrier (Type 001A), which is China's first locally built aircraft

carrier began sea trials on 13 May 2018 and expected to be comissioned on 2020. The

46 2014 DOD CMSD, pp. 7-8

47The Soviet Union began work on the Varyag in a shipyard in Ukraine, which at the time was part of the Soviet
Union. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, construction work on the ship stopped and the unfinished ship
became the property of Ukraine. For a discussion, see James Holmes, “The Long Strange Trip of China’s First
Aircraft Carrier,” Foreign Policy, February 3, 2015; Chen Chu-chun and Staff Reporter, “Man Who Bought Varyag
From Ukraine Plied Officials With Liquor,” Want China Times, January 22, 2015.

48Wendell Minnick, “Chinese Carrier’s Purported Air Wing Deemed Plausible But Limited,” Defense News
(www.defensenews.com), September 7, 2014.

46
press report on December 11,2017 stated that the ship may embark up to 35 J-15 carrier-

based fighters, as opposed to 24 on the Liaoning.

3.3.5 Carrier-Based Aircraft

J-15 or Flying Shark is the type of carrier-capable fighter that developed by

China and can operate from the Liaoning. J-15 is modeled after the Russian Su-33

(Flanker) and has a land-based combat radius of 1,200 km but it would be limited in

range and armament the operating from the carrier because the ski-jump design does not

produce as much airspeed and that lift at takeoff as a catapult design. 49 China has been

trying to develop a new generation carrier-based fighter, the FC-31, with a maximum

take-off weight of 28 tonnes, to replace the J-15, and put J-15 chief designer Sun Cong

in charge of the project from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. However, the FC-13

still a failure because China is still incapable of developing an engine for the FC-31

fighter. FC-31’s failure to meet the PLA Navy’s basic requirements for a new generation

fighter meant that J-15 will still be the key carrier-based fighter on China’s aircraft.50

Fifth-generation jet fighters with catapult system like J-20 and J-31 will surely be

installed on future China’s aircraft that will have the electromagnetic launcher system.

However, adapting the J-20 and J-31 as navy fighters will entail some costs because they

are primarily designed for the air force.

49 2014 DOD CMSD, p. 68. See also 2015 ONI Report, p. 23.
50Minnie Chan, “China’s Aircraft Carrier Conundrum: Hi-Tech Launch System for Old, Heavy Fighters,” South
China Morning Post, November 19, 2017.

47
Chines aircraft carrier surely could be used for power projection operations,

humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, maritime security operations,

maritime exercises noncombatant evacuation operations. 51

3.3.6 Navy Surface Combatants and Coast Guard Cutters

China is also building a new class of cruiser (or large destroyer) and a new class

of corvettes, light frigates a new new kind of missile-armed fast attack craft that uses a

stealthy catamaran hull design. The JIANGKAI-class (Type 054A) frigate series,

LUYANG-class (Type 052B/C/D) destroyer series, and the upcoming new cruiser

(Type055) class are the modern designs that equivalent in many aspects to the most

modern Western ship.52 The new Renhai (Type 055) cruiser or called as large destroyer

is a new class of cruiser that roughly weight of 10,000 tons to 12,000 tons, larger than

PLAN’s destroyer and will carry a larger number of weapons. Other than that, China

posssed the world’s largest coast guard vessel, the 12,000-ton China Coast Guard (CCG)

cutter 3901 which China uses for defending its maritime territorial claims in the East and

South China Seas. Type 055 also known as China’s ace guided-missile destroyers are

the latest-generation warships, capable of attacking targets onshore, offshore and

underwater and being built at the China’s two largest shipyards in Shanghai and

Dalian.53

51Sebastien Roblin, “All of the Reasons Why the World Should Fear China’s Aircraft Carriers,” National Interest,
October 24, 2017
52 2015 ONI Report, p. 13.
53 Asia Times Staff, “More Details of PLA’s Ace Type 055 Destroyer Unveiled,” Asia Times, November 3, 2017

48
3.4 Effectiveness of PLA Navy’s Modernisation

China has declared to the rest of the world on many occasions that it takes a path of

peaceful development and is committed to upholding world peace and promoting

common development and prosperity for all countries. At the beginning of the second

decade of the 21st century, China declared to the world that peaceful development is a

strategic choice made by China because they realised that modernisation is really

important to make them strong and prosperous, increase the standard of living for the

people and in the same time, China can develop and increase their military strenght with

the modernisation of their assets and military capabilities. Based on White Paper:

China's Peaceful Development Road, the core interests of China includes state

sovereignty, national security, territorial integrity, nationational reunification, China’s

political system established by the Constituition and overall stability and basic

safeguards for ensuring comfirmable economic growth and social development.54

Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, Hu Jintao emphasized

that the maritime domain is important to China’s national interest and for that, he drew

attention to the “new historic missions” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army

(PLA) is to provide strategic support in maintaining national interests. In the maritime

dominance for China, it is focusing on the economy development, commerce and trading

activities, protection of sea line of communication (SLOC), control of territorial waters,

gain influences in the regional waters and expanding of naval capabilities in the open

54State Council Office of China. White Paper: China’s Peaceful Development Road. (China Government’s Official Web
Portal, 2011)

49
seas. The national interests are not fixed. They reflect changes in the nation’s

development and overall situation in the world current enviroment and changes. As

China has become more dependent on the seas, its interests have incorporated more

maritime elements. For that reason, Hu Jintao made it clear that it is essential for the

PLA to be able to control the maritime domain with the PLA Navy. The seas are not

only a primary communications and transportation route, but also a significant of

resources in their own right. Therefore, China’s ability to utilize the current period of

“strategic opportunity” will depend on its ability to preserve its maritime interests,

including maritime access.

3.4.1 Peace keeping operation

China’s first UN force were made of 400 engineering corps that deployed to

undergo peacekeeping mission for the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia

(UNTAC) in 1989.55 In 1990, China deploys military obervers for the first time to the

Middle East (UNTSO) and China was abstained from voting on the use of force against

Iraq. After that, in 1991 China votes in favour of UNTAC (Cambodia) and participates

in UN Iraq-Kuwait observer mission. In 1992, China sends formed military units to

Combodia in fovour of UNPROFOR, UNOSOM, UNITAF and UNOSOM II. China

also supports ONUMOZ (Mozambique) in 1993 and participates in UNOMSIL (Sierra

Leone) in 1998. Moreover, during 2001, China sends special envoy to the Middle East,

55 Miwa Hiroro. China's Charm Offensive and Peacekeeping: The Lessons of Cambodia. (Taylor and Francis Online,
2011)

50
takes on a larger role in the rebuilding of Afghanistan, sends police officer to Bosnia and

Herzegovina to help in controlling the crisis in the area. In 2002, for the first time China

has sent civilian police to UNPKO that located in East Timor. Futhermore, in 2003

China sent militray units to UNPKO in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC)

and Liberia (UNMIL) and in 2004, China sends police contigents to UN missions in

Kosovo (UNMIK) and Haiti (MINUSTAH). China also contributed in sending military

logistics troops to Lebanon (UNIFIL) in 2006.56

Table 1 : China’s Military Assets and Contribution in UN Missions

Source : http://www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/China-Chin-
Hao-27Apr2017_FINAL.pdf

56 Jerker Hellstorm. Blue Berets Under the Red Flag. (FOI, 2009)

51
Table 1 shows that the profile of People’s Republic of China on their armed forces,

defense budget, UN contribution and other significant deployment for the peacekeeping

missions under UN. 57 Since the mid-1990s, China’s foreign policy has changed into

more convergent with global norms of cooperation. Chinese armed forces, including the

PLA and China’s domestic forces has been increasingly exposed and supported the UN

peacekeeping operations around the world. Since the early 2000s, Chinese uniformed

personnel to UN peacekeeping operations has increased more than twenty-fold that

included contingent troops, engineers, military experts, transport and logistical support

units, individual police, formed police units, and medical staff. Currently, China is the

largest UN Security Council P-5 contributor , highly contribute to stability and security

in Africa and expand its multilateral military cooperation around the globe.58

Graph 1

Source : http://www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/China-Chin-Hao-
27Apr2017_FINAL.pdf

57 Fravel. China’s Attitude Towards U.N. Peacekeeping Operations since 1989. (University of California Press, 1996)
58 Courtney J. Fung. China’s Troop Contributions to UN Peacekeeping. (United States Instisute of Peace, 2016)

52
The graph 1 shows the numbers of China’s Uniformed Personnel in UN Peacekeeping

Operations in the year of 1990 until 2017. In the year of 2014, China’s made a historic

decision in deploying combat troops to UN missions that included 170 infantry

personnel to Mali to provide security to the eastern headquarters of MINUSMA and

deployed a strong infantry battalion with the strenght of 700 personnel to support the

mission in South Sudan, UNMISS. During the Peacekeeping Leaders’ Summit in New

York in 2015, Chinese President during that time, Xi Jinping announced that China

would set up a permanent peacekeeping stanby force of 8,000 troops ready to be

deployed whenever needed by the UN. Xi Jinping also pledged that China would

contribute $100 million in military assistance to the African Union over the next five

years to help support the operationalisation of the African Peace.

2.4.2 Global Player

China has also been directly involved internationally as a global player. Global

player means a country with the ability to send security forces overseas and has the

capabilities to give aids in many aspects including giving medical help, supplying foods

and provide instant security and protection in a crisis. For example, China has sent third

batch of emergency relief rice to the South Sudanese government, which is 60-

containers-load rice of 1,500 tons, 27 containers of non-food items including 3,700 tents,

15,000 pcs of mosquito nets and 30,000 blankets in the response to the civil war that

ongoing in South Sudan since 2013 until now. Next, China also has sent medical aid to

the African. The Chinese spent an estimated $35 million on health-related projects in

Africa in 2006. By 2014, they were disbursing an estimated $150 million annually.

53
Chinese parties build health facilities, donate supplies, grant funds, and provide staff. On

2017, the very first time it was announced that a hospital will be built by Ethiopia and

privately-funded by the chinese. This is a part of Silk Road plan and the RPC to expand

their influence.59 Between 2013 and 2016, more than 11,000 people died when highly

contagious Ebola struck Guinea. In response, on 2014 China sent humanitarian aid to

Guinea and China was the first country to come to Guinea's aid after the outbreak of

Ebola.60 China gave a financial package from China Red Cross to the Guinea Red Cross

with the amount of 50,000 U.S. dollars. Other region that received the aid from China

because of Ebola outbreak at that time were Sierra Leone and Liberia.61

3.4.3 Joint Naval Exercise

PLA Navy has done many naval exercises around the globe, bilaterally and

multilaterally. For example, PN-PLA(N) Bilateral Exercises were started in 2014 when

Pakistan and Chinese navies conducted joint exercise in Pakistani waters of North

Arabian Sea. The exercises done by patrolling the areas in East China Sea, North

Arabian Sea and in Chinese waters off Shanghai. The assets from both side participated

to carry out joint drills and naval maneuvers to enhance interoperability between the two

naval forces. Other than that, the joint maritime exercise enable the

59 Long Wang and Joshua Bateman. China’s Medical Aid in Africa. (The Diplomat, 2018)
60Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The People’s Republic of China. China's Aid to West African Epidemic Stricken Countries'
Reconstruction Highly Praised. (FOCAC, 2016)
61 Huaxia. Chinese aid contributes to West Africa's fight against Ebola. (New China, 2016)

54
two naval forces to learn and get benefit from each other’s professional experiences.62

PLA Navy also has joined multilateral maritime exercise, for example they joint the very

first ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise (AMNEX) that conducted on 21 November

2017 and hosted by the Thai Royal Navy. The first AMNEX joined by other 10 ASEAN

member states and 9 non-ASEAN countries which are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei,

Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines,

Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Vietnam and USA. The aim of AMNEX is

to develop military responsiveness, readiness, and seamless execution among the

ASEAN navies by protecting the regional waters from all kind of maritime threats. By

doing the multilateral naval exercises among the ASEAN’s navies, it can help to

strengthen knowledge by exchanging of expert knowledge, build maritime operational

capability from basic to advanced level and promote multilateral cooperation in the

ASEAN Community and creating forum to discuss common maritime security issues. 63

3.5 Conclusion

The modernization faced by the PLAN shows that the Chinese government takes

a serious view of China's maritime and sovereign security. As such, these

modernizations have had a positive impact in making the Chinese waters environment

safe from any threats as well as expanding their influence.

62
Naval Headquarters Islamabad Directorate of Public Relations. PNS SAIF Participates in Fifth Joint PAK-CHINA
Naval Exercise at Shanghai. (Islamabad, 2017)
63 ASEAN International Fleet Review. The First AMNEX Background. (IFR, 2017) retrieved on

http://aseanifr2017.com/amnex/

55
 CHAPTER 4

IMPACT OF PLAN’S MODERNISATION TO CHINESE MARITIME SAFETY

4.1 Introduction

The modernisation of PLAN has had a positive impact on China on China's

maritime stability and security. As such, these modernisations help the Chinese

government in enhancing their capacity to safeguard their maritime waters.

4.2 The impact of the incident

4.2.1 Sea Defense in the Chinese Waters

In order to respond to national anxiety and prevent various possibilities, the Intelligence,

Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) resources are very important. It should work

with domestic agencies and strengthen China's ISR security posture and emphasize

detection of ballistic missile attacks, incidents of terrorist activity and suspicious

maritime activities. All the ISR missions need to supported by the modern assets in the

military as they will provide a faster speed of information delivery, spying tools and

gadgets that will not detected by the enemies and fatal weapons for attacking and

destroying the enemies.64 The main conflict of that remains the focus of Chinese military

is about the conflict over the Taiwan Straits and territorial disputes in South China Sea

64 Ian Easton. China’s Evolving Reconnaissance-Strike Abilities. (The Japan Institute of International Affairs, 2014)

56
and clamination of Senkaku Island in the seas of Japan and territorial disputes of Socotra

Rock in South Korea.

Map 5 : Territorial Disputes Between China and Her Neighbours

Source : https://www.ejiltalk.org/tag/east-china-sea-disputes/

The Map 5 shows that the territorial and maritime boundary disputes between China and

her neighbours in the South and Easy China Seas, including the question of over the

Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, maritime boundary disputes, clamination of EEZ, China’s

recent announcement of an Air Defence Identification Zone, and the Philippines/China

UNCLOS arbitration. 65 PLA Navy’s modernisation are really important to China as

China is the world’s second largest economy and a fast developing country, its heavy

dependance on seaborne commerce and trade automatically makes the seas of growing

65
Xianghua Wen. Territory Disputes and the Triangle Relationships between Japan, South Korea and China. (Aalborg
University, 2012)

57
importance to national well-being. Since the Chinese joining the World Trade

Organization (WTO), Chinese trade with other nations has unwaveringly expanded as a

portion of national economic activity, to the point where it affects some 60 percent–70

percent of China’s economy. China cound not strengthen its economy without trade

activities as the trade itself is a key of justifiation used by the Republic Peoples’ of

China. Because of that, China’s modernisation of military especially in PLA Navy is

playing a crucial role to protect the maritime regions of China, preventing all kind of

threats to the Chinese’s commerce ships, protecting the sovereignty in China’s waters

and to secure the the sea line of communications that used by the chinese ships to import

and export the goods from and out of China, developing China’s maritime economy and

building maritime industries and oceanographic sciences. The safety of China’s waters

can be protected by patrolling around the China’s seas regions regularly by PLA Navy.

With the modern assets of PLA Navy’s patrol ships, the maritime threats or any other

suspicious activities at the seas can be detected faster as the ships is equipped with better

communication technologies, advanced radar and faster mobility to pursue the enemy at

the sea.66

66 Dean Cheng. Sea Power and the Chinese State: China’s Maritime Ambitions. (The Heritage Foundation, 2011)

58
 Map 6 : SLOC of China in Oil Industries

Source : https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-sea-lines-of-communication-implications-for-the-
south-pacific/

The Map 6 shows the China’s critical sea lines of communication that China uses to

import oil into the country. China also relying on oil imports to sustain its economy.

Most of the oil import into China comes from the Middle East, including Iran and Saudi

Arabia, requesting a steady flow of tankers to Chinese ports. 67 There are many cases that

shows the Chinese SLOC runs through many choke points like the Straits of Mandeb,

Malacca, Hormuz and the Lombok Strait, being infested with terrorists and pirates that

have the intention to steal the oil for their own uses.68 With a strong maritime forces that

67 Wang Qian. Oil Imports Hit Alarming Level in China: Study. (China Daily, 2010) Retrieved at

at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-01/14/content_9317926.htm

68Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd). China’s Maritime Strategy for South Asia. (SP’s Naval Forces, 2014) Retrieved
at http://www.spsnavalforces.com/story/?id=332

59
have the capabilities in the naval assets to undergo naval mission in the open seas, China

can protect their national interest by protecting the movement of the ships that import oil

that using the SLOC on the open seas with PLA Navy’s ships patrolling the SLOC from

outside threat including the pirates.

4.2.2 Protection for Freedom at the Sea

Freedom at the seas also understand as freedom to navigate the oceans. Nowdays,

the present era is the era in which SLOCs are regarded as international public property

whose security must be jointly ensured by the international community. Steady maritime

traffic is the cornerstone of the nation's existence. The key to maintaining maritime

security is the rapid response to the maritime crisis as they emerged, such as providing

companion support in the face of piracy, in collaboration with other maritime forces

internationally and domestically and cooperate with international agencies along

SLOCs. Maintaining peace and stability through international cooperation in the region

will also promote maritime security to the nation. China’s 2006 defence white paper

highlighted security issues related to energy, resources, finance, information and

international shipping routes as important areas for the future and the military strategists

have openly stated their desire to expand their maritime forces way beyond the Taiwan

Strait in order to make sure the safety of Chinese commerce activities. Because of that,

the capabilities of a blue navy is needed by China and PLA Navy for the purposes of

securing its sea lines of communication and the continuity of trade activities for the

60
country’s economy development can be done without interference from outside threats

.69

Map 7 : China’s String of Pearls

Source : http://www.spsnavalforces.com/story/?id=332

The Map 7 shows that the red dots connecting the through the countries in the globe by

using the maritime roads. It is recognised as the China’s String of Pearls and Maritime

Silk Road. This maritime network starting from China Mainland to the Port Sudan is to

guard their commercial and energy interests that mainly involve the import of oil to

China. Other than that, China also use this network to build their naval structures around

the globe. For example, China has the naval base at Djibouti that located in the Horn of

Africa, bordered by Ethiopia in the west and south and Somalia in the southest. This

69 Elinor Sloan. China’s Strategic Behaviour. (Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs Institute, 2010)

61
naval base at the Djibouti is supporting the PLA Navy logistic needs,medical supports

and ship repairs when the PLA Navy undergo far away missions from China in that area.

China also projecting their naval power to the East China Sea, near sea around Japan and

Western Pacific region, North Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. PLA Navy also

gaining more power through obtaining superior operational capability, tools and asssets

for strategic deterrance, total planning for anti-access capability in order to avoid

interruption or leaking of their military information to the enemies and developing

counter-attack capability.70

4.2.3 The Balance of Power

The rise of China quickly changed the strategic landscape in the Asia-Pacific

region. As China has become a major force in Asia, the growing influence of China in

the transfer of strategic bilateral relations and bilateral relations. The rise of China is also

a global phenomenon. This event has caused the “uneasy feeling” to the United States of

America as they posses the super power and China’s fast rising of economies and

military power is consider as a threat to the U.S. People's Republic of China

dramatically elevated to the status of great power in the United Nation, obtained almost

all diplomatic recognition universally and considered as a respectable country by other

major powers. Nowdays, China is clearly possesses on of the strongest military forces in

70Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd). China’s Maritime Strategy for South Asia, String of Pearls. (SP’s Naval Forces,
2014) Retrieved at http://www.spsnavalforces.com/story/?id=332

62
the world, highly built with a strong conventional force with a high technologies in

military’s assets and rapidly expanding nuclear power development.71

For example, the mounting tensions between Taipei and Beijing should be attracting

more notice to the U.S. The United States pledged to regard any PRC attempt to pressure

or using force against Taiwan, will be considered as a big threat to the peace of East

Asia. The United States also promised to sell “defense articles and defense services in

such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense

capability.” With the modernisation of PLA Navy, it has a stronger naval forces and

assets with highly equipped with modern technologies that can bring the difference in

the situation. As a second largest economy developer in the world, China’s military

power has a become a deterrance to the U.S. power as China can modernize their assets

and technologies with the high income of that country. This will reduce the possibilities

for the United States’s naval forces to strike down PLA Navy whenever they undergo

naval exercises in the Taiwan’s waters.

4.2.4 Contribution to International Maritime Safety

To promote peace and seek stability and development is the strategic goal and

common aspiration of most countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Political mutual trust

among countries has been strengthened, and major countries have frequently interacted

and cooperated with one another. As an important member of the Asia-Pacific family,

China is fully aware that its peaceful development is closely linked with the future of the

71 Robert A. Scalapino. China and The Balance of Power. (Foreign Affairs, 2012)

63
region. China has put forward and actively promoted the Belt and Road Initiative and

initiated the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk

Road Fund. China calls for the building of a new model of international relations and

committed to building partnerships in different forms with all countries and regional

organizations. China is working to construct a community of shared future for countries

along the Lancang-Mekong River and between China and the Association of Southeast

Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as in Asia and the Asia-Pacific area as a whole.72

4.2.5 Protection of Maritime Traffic

The PLA Navy is supporting the Maritime Traffic Safety Law of the People’s

Republic of China, and the marine environment Protection Law of the People’s Republic

of China, Maritime Safety Administration of the People’s Republic of China (China

MSA). It has the responsibilities of maritime safety, security, prevention of pollution

from ships, and protection of seafarers’ rights. With patrolling around the China’s

waters, tha PLA Navy can prevent Chinese ships or foreign ships from making troubles

at their territorial waters.

72Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s republic of China. China’s policies on Asia-Pasific security Cooperation.
(FMPRC, 2017)

64
4.3 Conclusion

All the impacts that have been clearly demonstrated to indicate the modernisation

of PLA Navy is very important in maintaining maritime security and navigational safety.

Consequently, the impacts have been described as a guide to the excellence of PLA

Navy to further advance and improve existing modernisation and assist other countries

in navigational safety around the globe.

65
 CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION

5.1 Introduction

This study was conducted to study the modernization of PLAN Navy. The study

also has three main objectives, namely the first to identify the maritime threat faced by

the PLAN team. The second is to analyze the modernization of the PLAN team and the

latter is to analyze the impact of PLAN's modernization on China's maritime security.

Chapter one of this study covers the background of the study, study problems, research

objectives, theoretical and conceptual framework, literature review, methodology, scope

and significant.

Chapter two of this study has answered the first question of identifying maritime

threats faced by the PLAN team. The findings of this chapter found that the threats faced

by the PLAN were faced with regional struggles with neighbors such as South Korea,

Japan and Taiwan. In addition, the PLAN faces a threat to control and safeguard SLOCs.

Then face the threat of rebellion and armed robbery, trafficking in maritime and

maritime terrorism. As such, maritime security is an issue that every country needs to

take into account. Therefore, any of the above mentioned marine threats should be dealt

with as best as possible to create peace and convenience for sailors and goods exporting

activities through sea roads.

66
 The three chapters have answered the second question of analyzing the

modernization of the PLAN team. It is observed that China has modernized the PLAN is

to fight modern combat. However, its modernisation is more geared towards maintaining

maritime PLAN's maritime security and its sovereignty besides, providing humanitarian

aid and assistance, trafficking operations and combating illegal immigration operations

as well as security operations. Expansion of power is also a factor in the modernisation

of the PLAN. As such, the modernization faced by China shows that the Chinese

government takes a serious view of China's maritime security and sovereignty. As such,

these modernizations have had a positive impact in making the Chinese waters

environment safe from any threats.

Chapter four of these studies have answered the third question of analyzing the

impact of PLAN's modernization on China's maritime security. The modernization of the

PLAN has had a profound impact on China's maritime security in particular and global

maritime security in general. This is because when China's modernized PLAN has

managed to safeguard its maritime territory from invasion and enhance border control.

More than that, Japan has helped many other countries to raise the level of maritime

security and sail. For example the PLAN has been with the navy forces from ASEAN to

undergo joint maritime exercises to strengthen maritime defense in ASEAN waters as

well as avoiding non-traditional threats over the area. In fact, China's non-governmental

organizations (NGOs) also helped to conduct hydrographic studies in certain areas to

launch maritime traffic. As such, all the impacts that have been clearly demonstrated

indicate the modernization of the PLAN is very important in maintaining maritime

security and navigational safety. As such, the impact is stated as a guide to the

67
excellence of the PLAN to further advance and improve existing modernization and

assist other countries in the safety of navigation.

The conclusions concluded in this study were the modernisation of the PLAN not

only military based or to increase threats to other countries. The PLAN used the power

of PLAN in projecting their naval power and influences around the world. But it's more

about raising the level of maritime security of its country as well for the international

maritime security as it is also an important path to its energy resources.

68
 REFERENCES

BOOKS AND JOURNAL

Ahn B J (2004) The rise of China and the Future of East Asian Integration.

Asia-Pasific Review 1 1 (2).

Brandon, J.J. (2003). Piracy as Terrorism, Journal of Commerce., issue: June 3

Chen, S. (2010) China’s Self-Extrication from the “Malacca Dilemma” and

Implications.

International Journal of Chinese Studies 1 (1), 1-24.

Jackson, R. Sorensen. G. (2010). Introduction to international relations:

Theories and approaches. (4th ed.) . New York: Oxford University Press.

Jacoson, L. (2014). China’s Unpredictable Maritime Security Actors. Sydney : Lowy

Institute

Kardon, I. B. (2015). China’s Maritime Rights and Interests: Organizing To Become A

Maritime Power. Virginia : Council of National Associations

Lees, F. A. (1997). China majorpower: Requisities for larger growth. New York:

Macmillan Press

Mack, J. (2011). The sea: a cultural history, p. 74.

69
Rosenberg, D & Chung, C. (2008). Maritime Security in the South China

Sea: Coordinating coastal and user state priorities. Ocean Development and

International Law, 39:51- 68.

WEBSITES

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. (2017). Retrieved from
http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1429771.shtml

Department of Drug Control of Bangladesh. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.dnc.gov.bd/statistics.html.

Use Illegal Drugs On Rise In China. (2017). Retrieved from

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-03-28/101071586.html

China and Its Line Of Communication. (2016). Retrived from

http://www.eaglespeak.us/2016/09/once-again-china-and-its-sea-lines-of.html

South China Sea Dispute Undermines Maritime Security in Southeast Asia. (2017).
Retrieved from https://asiafoundation.org/2017/08/23/south-china-sea-dispute-
undermines-maritime-security-southeast-asia/

70