China’s Discourse of Maritime Power: A Thematic Analysis

The Chinese government is rapidly expanding its navy to achieve the goal of becoming a ‘strong maritime state’. China’s government leaders emphasise that a strong Chinese maritime state bears no resemblance to historical naval powers, and argue that naval expansion is for ‘strategic support’ of maritime power building. This article interrogates official claims about the distinctiveness of China’s naval build up. Through an analysis of Chinese policy papers and scholarly literature produced between 2003 and 2023, the study identifies major themes of China’s maritime power. It concludes that the development is mostly aligned with the typical conceptual framework of maritime power building, even though its official discourse has pushed the concept of maritime power in novel and expansive directions.