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180 Taiwan Development Perspectives 2009
The PLAN has taken delivery of Hospital Ship
866. 34 The two amphibious assault vessels, together
with the hospital ship, contribute to the PLAN capability
of action in the South China Sea, according to John
Pike at Globalsecurity.Org, a think-tank at Alexandria,
Virginia. He says Hospital Ship 866 and the amphibious
assault vessels were designed to give China military
options for claiming disputed natural gas and oil
reserves in the South China Sea. He adds: "One would
enforce a claim to the South China Sea by possessing
islands. How does one possess island? By amphibious
assault." 35
The trio may carry out "military operations other
than war(MOOTW)." This is a new mission to offer
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Bob Work,
a naval analyst at the Washington-based Center for
Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, says Hospital
Ship 866 may be engaged in MOOTW. "The tsunami
embarrassed them (the Chinese)," he says, adding: "The
Chinese respond to embarrassments in very focused
ways. In this case by rushing new ships into production.”
36
World Politics Review reported: “Although the
vessels are intended for more conventional military
tasks, they could find themselves pressed into humanitarian
missions during major disasters. Either way, Ship
866 and the Type 071s are windows into an evolving
military strategy for an emerging world power.”
Construction of these ships will be beneficial to
the PLAN in the overseas military operations other than
34 Defense News reported: “The 866’s aft deck has a
helipad. It is deployed for the convenience of the
Chinese navy to conduct operations in the South
China Sea.”
35 David Axe “War is Boring: New Chinese Naval
Ships a Window into Evolving Strategy.” World Politics
Review, Nov. 12, 2008
36 Ibid.
war in a contest with the United States for projection of
"soft power." The commission of the hospital ship will
be more convenient to the PLAN expanding China’s
external influence in the future. 37
Conclusion
If China doesn’t have expansionist ambitions that
the Soviet Union in cold war did, 38 the statement that
China is in the process of transforming itself from a
strong land power to a powerful maritime country is
untenable. Equally untenable is the statement that the
future development may close this gap by extending the
range of power projection.
In fact China's ideological and theoretical concept
for development of its navy is different from what has
motivated the Western big powers. China has selectively
adopted Mahan’s concept. 39 China emphasizes
equality in rights and benefits. Its sea power is designed
to protect its sea rights. Its approach is peaceful: sea
power is needed for self-defense. “China hopes to create
a buffer around its continental and maritime periphery
that will increase the cost for other states to conduct
military operations against targets on the mainland.” 40
37 ”Foreign media say the People's Liberation Army
hospital ship fitted out amphibious assault ship preparing
to attack the island.” ChinaReviewNews.com,
Nov. 18, 2008
38 U.S. Intelligence Analysis: “Tthe building aircraft
carriers of China is forced by the situation surrounding.”
chinareviewnews.com, Dec. 28, 2007
39 Toshi Yoshihara ”China’s Turn to Mahan: Implication
for Taiwan’s Security” U.S. Naval War College,
Nov. 2008
40 M. Taylor Fravel, “Chinas Search for Military Power”
2008 by The Center for Strategic and International
Studies and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, The Washington Quarterly, 31:3 pp.