The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy and the History of Coastal Defence

Abstract

Throughout Chinese history, coastal defence (haifang) has been one of the ruling dynasty’s most vital military concerns. The goals are threefold: to fight off marauding pirates, to halt foreign attempts to claim territory, and to oppose efforts to usurp the power and authority of the imperial throne. By necessity, coastal defence has long been one of the most important cornerstones of China’s national defence. To understand the PLA Navy’s modern coastal defence challenges, this chapter examines coastal defence theory and practice prior to the nineteenth century, the impact of the Opium Wars (1839–42, 1856–60) on Chinese views of coastal defence, and the influence of China’s defeat in the first Sino-Japanese War (1894–95) on Beijing’s decision to adopt Westernizing reforms and to build a modern navy. The conclusion evaluates how Chinese history impacted the PLA Navy’s coastal defence policies after 1949, in particular the navy’s stated goal to ‘to safeguard territorial waters as well as waters under that nation’s jurisdiction, uphold maritime rights and interests, and defend against the possibility of encroachment on one’s own waters, etc. Strong coastal defense is vital to guarantee the security and development of a country bordering on the ocean’ (Zhongguo haijun baike quanshu [Chinese Naval Encyclopedia], 1998, p. 371).