Abstract
China’s growing efforts to expand its naval prowess are something that must not be ignored, even by the most influential actors in the strategic theatre of the sea. While China has already established goals for the completion of its transformation, which are not rigid, the momentum at which Beijing’s maritime force completes this modernisation will depend on other countries’ reluctance to cater to China’s expansionist naval ambitions and on the emergence of new global missions ranging from transnational security threats to humanitarian crises. This issue brief aims to examine the Chinese efforts in establishing consistent naval deterrence through naval modernisation and warship development, greyzone warfare tactics, and an integrated layered expansionist strategy to achieve its ambitions.
Keywords: Grey-zone warfare, China, Naval modernisation, Maritime Militia, Deterrence, Coercion, Strategy
