Chinese warships off Alaska signal a new stage in seapower competition
Understanding why requires a look at "near waters," "far waters"—and the colonial past.
Colin Flint,The Conversation | July 31, 2024
Chinese warships were recently spotted sailing close to the Aleutian Islands, just off the Alaskan coast. Meanwhile, naval boats have begun to dock at a Beijing-built military port in Cambodia.
While these two events took place on different sides of the globe, they’re both part of an important geopolitical development – one that may lead to global war.
That may seem a little alarmist. But as I explain in my book Near and Far Waters: The Geopolitics of Seapower, the dynamics playing out today as China seeks to surpass the U.S. as the world’s major sea power are reflected in the past – and have led to some of the world’s most consequential conflicts.
To understand the geopolitics of sea power, you need to understand two terms: “near waters” and “far waters.” Near waters are areas close to a country’s shoreline that are seen as important for its defense. Far waters are areas across the ocean that a country wants to be present in for economic and strategic interests.
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2024/07/chinese-warships-alaska-and-cambodia-highlight-role-near-and-far-waters-sea-power-dominance/398464/?oref=d1-skybox-hp
