China's Naval Exercises Reveal How Far It Can Project Its Power

Beijing seems bent on dominating the high seas of the Indo-Pacific

- KARISHMA VASWANI

In the last two weeks, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China conducted live-fire naval drills in the international waters off Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam, and shooting drills in the Taiwan Strait. This show of military might is a sign of China's growing confidence as a maritime power.

It's also a signal to its closest neighbors that they'll have to start relying on each other, or boost their own defenses beyond their original calculations. They can't expect to depend on the US for backup. US President Donald Trump's message to the world is clear: Do things for yourself first, and then we might help you—if it suits us.

In just the first month of his term, his team has told Europe that it needs to pay more for its own security, lectured allies on democracy, and pulled funding from America's aid and development programs.

As Washington retreats from the international stage, Beijing is advancing—militarily at least. China now has the world's largest maritime fighting force, with 234 vessels compared to the US Navy's 219. It is also producing more warships at a faster pace; about 70% were launched after 2010, compared to 25% for the US Navy.