Belfer Center Home > Publications > Academic Papers & Reports > Journal Articles > China's Naval Nationalism: Sources, Prospects, and the U.S. Response

EmailEmail   PrintPrint  

 

"China's Naval Nationalism: Sources, Prospects, and the U.S. Response"

Journal Article, International Security, volume 34, issue 2, pages 46-81

Fall 2009

Author: Robert Ross

Belfer Center Programs or Projects: Quarterly Journal: International Security

 

SUMMARY

Recent developments in Chinese politics and defense policy indicate that China will soon embark on an ambitious maritime policy that will include construction of a power-projection navy centered on an aircraft carrier. But just as nationalism and the pursuit of status encouraged past land powers to seek great power maritime capabilities, widespread nationalism, growing social instability, and the leadership's concern for its political legitimacy drive China's naval ambition. China's maritime power, however, will be limited by the constraints experienced by all land powers: enduring challenges to Chinese territorial security and a corresponding commitment to a large ground force capability will constrain China's naval capabilities and its potential challenge to U.S. maritime security. Nonetheless, China's naval nationalism will challenge U.S.-China cooperation. It will likely elicit increased U.S. naval spending and deployments, as well as politicization of China policy in the United States, challenging the United States to develop policy to manage U.S.-China naval competition to allow for continued political cooperation.

 

 

For more information about this publication please contact the IS Editorial Assistant at 617-495-1914.

For Academic Citation:

Robert S. Ross. "China's Naval Nationalism: Sources, Prospects, and the U.S. Response." International Security 34, no. 2 (Fall 2009): 46-81.

<em>International Security</em>

The Summer 2009 issue of the quarterly journal International Security is now available. It includes articles by Matthew Fuhrmann, Elizabeth Stanley, Daniel Lake, Christopher Layne, and more.

<em>International Security</em>

The Summer 2009 issue of the quarterly journal International Security is now available. It includes articles by Matthew Fuhrmann, Elizabeth Stanley, Daniel Lake, Christopher Layne, and more.

EMAIL UPDATES

Get the latest research on the most important international topics

Sign up to receive updates of the Belfer Center's work on international security, climate change, nuclear issues, the Middle East, or more. Select the topics of your choice.

Human Rights and Wrongs: Slavery, Terror, Genocide

Human Rights and Wrongs explains the persistence of crimes against humanity since the Holocaust...

Events Calendar

We host a busy schedule of events throughout the fall, winter and spring. Past guests include: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Vice President Al Gore, and former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev.