Beijing Is Pursuing an Outmoded Strategy to Challenge US Naval Dominance

Feasibility and consequences of China's 'military rise' narrative are of little concern for Communist Party propagandists

China's aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in the western Pacific Ocean on April 18, 2018. Reuters

Commentary

Chinese state media has recently featured heavy promotion of China’s carrier program, playing up its expansion as a means of challenging the United States for control of the seas. This strategy is in keeping with the growing assertiveness of the Chinese armed forces, as well as the Chinese Communist Party’s aim to expand its geopolitical influence beyond China’s borders.