The Great Leap Outward: China's Maritime Renaissance

Abstract

600 years ago China was the greatest maritime nation in the world, but after the voyages of Zheng He, the Ming Dynasty withdrew from the sea, and China reverted to its traditional focus on continental interests. Today China is going back to sea. China's Great Leap Outward onto the world's oceans is visible in its growing merchant marine; rise in the global shipbuilding market; and efforts to develop a blue water navy. This paper will examine how, starting with Deng Xiaoping's reforms in 1978, China has developed a comprehensive strategy for maritime growth. China's return to the sea will be analyzed under these headings: 1) China has created treasure fleets of Chinese built and operated ships to carry China's trade, projected at $1 trillion by 2020. Chinese companies are building ports and providing management services as far afield as Greece and Panama.

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