China’s continental identity on a blue horizon (Sophie Yi – East Asia Forum)

Western powers should not mistake the People’s Liberation Army sailing past the first island chain as an ambition for hegemony on the open seas. Rather than shifting to a classic sea power, China’s naval assertiveness reflects an expansion of its continental mindset into maritime domains. Understanding China’s continental–maritime identity is vital to preventing escalation in Asia’s contested waters.

China’s continental identity on a blue horizon | East Asia Forum