When Britain ruled the seas centuries ago, they were the world's sole superpower, dominating trade routes, creating colonies, applying military power to demand spheres of influence, and using that power to maximize its economy back home.
Today's Communist Chinese leadership can probably recite that playbook by heart.
While China is a potent nuclear power with astronauts in orbit and squadrons of stealth fighters in the air, one merely needs to look at its navy to appreciate what their 21st Century plans are: global domination.
Recently, China directed its naval forces to sail around the Australian continent in what was clearly a long-distance show of force. Then, between the waters of Australia and New Zealand, the Chinese navy engaged in live fire exercises that forced dozens of commercial airliners to divert their flight routes. There was absolutely no reason for the Chinese navy to be so far from home other than reminding Pacific democracies that China has the means to project power where and when it wants. In addition, China is now engaged in extensive undersea mapping, one presumes to give its submarines an accurate "roadmap" to patrol.
For decades, China's naval strategy focused primarily on defending its own extensive coastline. No longer. It is not just a military development but a profound and permanent shift in the international order of nations thanks, in part, to the work of the Chinese naval ship building yards.
In the event America is indifferent, China now possesses the world's largest navy by ship count, with three aircraft carriers on watch with more under construction. Beijing can not only command more warships, but newer vessels that will match and perhaps exceed Western standards.
It is obvious that China's naval strategy can put Taiwan at serious risk, but by sailing around Australia and creating a naval presence in the Mediterranean, it is obvious that the Chinese Communist Party is also saying it can control crucial sea lanes at a time and place of its own choosing. And that means challenging American naval dominance.
China's aggressive actions have not gone unnoticed by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump "called them out" during his first term, and he is now, during his second term, using economic weapons to get their attention. They will not find an indifferent White House, but we need to recognize that it will take serious money and a long term national commitment to create a modern American military – land, sea, air, space and technological breakthroughs -- that will serve as a credible deterrence far into this century.
Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.
