As Asia’s premier security forum, commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, starts this week, a central question looms over the gathering: how will the US Navy deal with its strengthening Chinese counterpart.
Between 2014 and 2018, China built more submarines, warships, amphibious vessels and auxiliaries than the combined active navies of Germany, India, Spain and the UK, says the International Institute for Strategic Studies
. China’s navy has the means to develop into a formidable sea power: sustained investment, a self-sufficient defence industry and a government committed to building the People’s Liberation Army into a world-class military.