China’s maritime power in Asia: An analysis

The Chinese naval power is often portrayed as a force which wants to conquer other maritime provinces. More than that military asset modernization by China was often cited as another pointer to the country’s intent to dominate and become a unipolar power in Asia. But to what extent does the rise and the modernization of the Chinese military bear negative implications to other countries? Using primary and secondary data between 2001 and 2014, this study examined the reasons for both the modernization of the Chinese navy and that of its assets in the Asian region . The primary data were collected from structured interviews involving informants specialized in international relations. Secondary data were collected from scientific material, theses, journal articles, or online data. The findings revealed that China modernize its naval assets mainly to secure its national interests. China has no ambition to be a unipolar power in Asia or the world.