China's Rising Sea Power The PLA Navy's Submarine Challenge [Hardcover]

This is a fascinating insight into Chinas strategic abilities and ambitions, probing the real depths of its plans for the twenty-first century.

China's Rising Sea Powerexplores similarities between Chinas strategic outlook today and that of earlier continental powers whose submarine fleets challenged dominant maritime powers for regional hegemony: Germany in two World Wars and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Using insights from classical naval strategic theory, Peter Howarth examines Beijings strategic logic in making tactical submarines the keystone of Chinas naval force structure. He also investigates the influence of Soviet naval strategy and ancient Chinese military thought on the PLA Navys strategic culture, contending that Chinas increasingly capable submarine fleet could play a key role in Beijings use of force to resolve the Taiwan issue.

This book will be of great interest to all students and scholars of security and strategic studies, Asian politics, geopolitics and military (naval) strategy.

Introduction  1. Chinas Tactical Submarine Fleet  2. The Geopolitical Context  3. Chinas New Maritime Strategy  4. Sea Control in the Western Pacific  5. Maritime Strategic Theory and the Logic of Chinas Submarine Fleet  6. Geography, Narrow Seas and Submarine Terrain  7. Disputing U.S. Command of the China Seas  8. The Universal and the Particular in Strategic Logic  9. Influence of the Soviet Experience on the PRCs Maritime Strategy  10. Chinese Strategic Culture  Indigenous Elements  11. Chinese Strategic Culture, Submarines and Prospects for War in the Taiwan Strait  12. Conclusion 

'Does Beijing see itself as a regional maritime power? Is the PLA Navy positioned to take on the USN in the contested waters surrounding Taiwan? Dr Howarth examinl$