China's Quest for Great Power

This book addresses three important facets of China's modern development. First is the ongoing modernization of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The Chinese navy has grown from a relatively small, backward force in the 1980s into a capable twenty-first century maritime power. The PLAN now deploys around the world and includes nuclear-powered submarines, the first of several aircraft carriers, modern guided missile destroyers and frigates, and the world's most formidable force of seagoing cruise and ballistic missiles. This modern, growing navy is intended in significant part to undergird China's global search for energy sources and security. Beijing's determination to maintain its historic economic growth depends on energy security. These two national priorities—a navy capable of defending China's national security and economic interests and secury energy resources—come together to define and support Chinese foreign policy. This book addresses these three in both global and Asian contextual terms, with special emphasis on relations between China and the United States.