Beijing is interested in more than just energy and fishery resources. The area is also integral to its nuclear submarine strategy.
In an effort to underscore its importance to Asia, geostrategist Nicholas Spykman once described it as the ‘Asiatic Mediterranean.’ More recently, it has been dubbed the ‘Chinese Caribbean.’ And, just as Rome and the United States have sought control over the Mediterranean and Caribbean, China now seeks dominance over the South China Sea.
It’s clear that China’s claims and recent assertiveness have increased tensions in this key body of water. Yet while most attention has focused on Beijing’s appetite for fishery and energy resources, from a submariner’s perspective, the semi-closed sea is integral to China’s nuclear strategy. And without understanding the nuclear dimension of the South China Sea disputes, China’s maritime expansion makes little sense.
Possessing a credible sea-based nuclear deterrent is a priority for China's military strategy. China’s single Type 092, or Xia-class, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, equipped with short-range JL-1 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), has never conducted a deterrent patrol from the Bohai Sea since its introduction in the 1980s. However, China is on the verge of acquiring credible second-strike capabilities with the anticipated introduction of JL-2 SLBMs (with an estimated range of 8,000 kilometres) coupled with DF-31 and DF-31A road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). In addition, China plans to introduce up to five Type 094, or Jin-class, SSBNs outfitted with the JL-2 missiles, while constructing an underwater submarine base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.
It’s clear, then, that China is making every effort to keep the South China Sea off limits, just as the Soviet Union did in the Sea of Okhotsk during the Cold War. Back then, the Soviet Union turned to SSBNs as insurance against US capabilities to destroy land-based ICBMs. The need to secure its insurance force from attacks, and the need for effective command and control, meant that Soviet SSBNs had to be deployed close to home, with longer-range missiles to be used to strike the continental United States. In addition to the Barents Sea, Moscow prioritized making the Sea of Okhotsk a safe haven for SSBNs by improving the physical defences of the Kuril Islands and reinforcing the Pacific Fleet based at Vladivostok. The Soviet Pacific Fleet deployed 100 submarines, combined with 140 surface warships, including a Kiev-class light aircraft carrier, to defend its insurance force in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Likewise, China needs to secure its forces in the South China Sea and modify its maritime strategy and doctrine accordingly. Currently, the primary wartime missions of the People’s Liberation Army Navy are: 1) securing sea approaches to Taiwan; 2) conducting operations in the western Pacific to deny enemy forces freedom of action; 3) protecting Chinese sea lines of communication; and 4) interdicting enemy lines of communication. With the introduction of the Type 094, protecting Chinese SSBNs will become another primary mission, and this mission will require China to kill enemy strategic antisubmarine forces and end the resistance of other claimants in the South China Sea. Chinese anti-access/area-denial capabilities, especially quieter nuclear-powered attack submarines, can be used to counter enemy forward antisubmarine warfare operations. China’s aircraft carriers, when operational, will be deployed in the South China Sea to silence the neighbouring claimants.
This strategy dates back almost two decades, to a time when China began encircling the South China Sea to fill the power vacuum created by the withdrawal of US forces from the Philippines in 1991. China reasserted ‘historical’ claims over all the islets, including the Paracel and Spratly archipelagos, and 80 percent of the 3.5 million km2 body of water along the nine-dotted U-shaped line, despite having no international legal ground to do so. Those islets can be used as air and sea bases for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities, and as base points for claiming the deeper part of the South China Sea for PLAN ballistic missile submarines and other vessels. China also interprets the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in an arbitrary manner and doesn’t accept military activities by foreign vessels and overflight in its waters.
Yet China's efforts to dominate the South China Sea face significant challenges. Chinese assertiveness hasn’t only inflamed hostilities from other claimants, but has also raised concerns from seafaring nations such as the United States, Japan, Australia, and India. After all, the South China Sea is a recognized international waterway, unlike the Sea of Okhotsk. In addition, since the JL-2 missiles can’t reach Los Angeles from the South China Sea, Type 094 submarines need to enter the Philippine Sea, where the US Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force conduct intense anti-submarine warfare operations.
Photo Credit: US Navy
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New York Citizen
Author must be hallucinating because maintaining and sailing strategic vessels inside South China Sea while both sides are hostile are clearly a pocket trap in tactics. If the author is a Naval officer, he will lead the whole Navy to the bottom of the sea.
Eric E. Cantero
We can disagree. However, let us not be disagreable. No shooting. There is a lot at stake. I mean a WHOLE lot. A lot also means there's plenty for everybody. First rule: Let us build confidence on each other. Second rule: Think of us as a whole not as small or big. Wag tayong ganid or takot. "Let us not be greedy or fearful". We are all caretakers. Let's take care of each other.
Choose to be lazy, then we start shooting at each other. When everything clears up, we realize there will be nothing for all of us to share.
Our part of the world is the apple of the eye of whoever you think is up there watclhing over us. We are all moving forward at cruising speed. Don't shift to reverse.
cho
The chinese say south china sea belongs to china and the vienamese also say the area belongs to vietnam.i think both of them are correct.why .it is because this water originally belong to us.i mean 'us' .who are us?. originally we belong to the same country; we belong to the same tribe;we are the same species;our names sound the same;the former vietnamese's leader wu chi ming got exactly the same name as one of my classmate's name.then ,what's wrong now.i think the only wrong thing is that we split into two countries.when one country split into two countres,the original land and sea of this country ,which was originally belong to both parts of its people,are then claimed by both parties as theirs.yes they are right . these should belong to both of them 'originally'.in order to get the things which 'should' belong to them ,then they should fight for that;fight means kill and kill means death.what a stupid thing n tragety it is for us,i mean the chinese n the vietnamese.BUT WHAT A FUNNY THING IT IS FOR THE FRENCH AND THE AMERICAN .who are the culprit to split our country . For them.they're just watching us ,the stupid asian people killing each other and at the same time asking for their help and taking them as saver.hey .stupid vietnamese and chinese,wake up please,wake up and think what we should do for our wellbeing!
Vincent
Vietnam and China is not the same country. China invaded and conquer Vietnam, but never fully, only the northern part. But the Vietnamese always fought and claim their lands back.
sd
why china wana south china sea?? because its belong to china.
Carlito
south china sea does not belong to the china alone but it belongs to the countries like vietnam, philippines, malaysia, china, taiwan.stop bullying us and stop showing us your firepower we are not afraid of you chineese. the united states of america are there to help us in case of shooting.
if you really want to claim it by part we have to bring this matter to unclos and there we can talk how we get our share of the south china sea. next time chineese please inculcate in your mind. we are not afraid of you.
Fred Flint
Carlito, you're acting like a moody 4-yr old kindergarten kid. China is not trying to scare you. That feeling of insecurity comes from the Filipino knee-jerk racism towards Chinese. I've lived in the Philippines before, so I know. I thought Europeans were the most racist fukks on earth, until I met a Filipino. Remember all throughout the incident, China only sent Fisheries Admin and Coast Guard boats, you Flips sent a Navy ship? What bravery are you talking about? You're only relying on the HOPE that the US will protect you. Pathetic, really. Now go and eat some rice, maybe that'll give you REAL bravery.
Opinion
Fred Flint, you are acting immature on your age. Put yourself in Filipinos shoes, your house is about to get burned and razed to the ground by your neighbor. What are you gonna do.? It's a shame that for a long period of time that you stayed in Phils. you were not able to know the real nature of a Filipino. I bet you are always on the bar and making fun of girls in Fields Avenue. That my friend is not the proper way to know the place your living into. Now, the topic, Phil Navy at that time is on patrol as mandated by Phils Laws to protect the sovereign waters around it. Intercepting illegal fishing is mandated by as part of navies mission. All countries in the world does that to protect their interest. The navy tried to make an arrest and tow the boat as it's the proper thing to do. Phils navy is patrolling its OWN waters by law, now since it's not successful, the navy moved out and Phils send an UNARMED fishery boat and Coast Guard law enforcers,(only 2 vessels) in order to difuse the tension. It's our right to defend our interest to anyone within the bounderies of law of the sea.
We Filipinos are not pathetic and not racist in any kind of way, We have no choice but to defend our interest. To give you an update, chinese sent muliple ships, they are armed believe me, even tried to ram the Phils coast guard and marine boat. What do you want us to do, to kneel down and just surrender our sovereign rights?? I would suggest that you must know the facts first before you make a baseless comment. If you are being robbed ,what is your first idea, TO GET HELP right, if nobody wants to help us then by all means it's our loss but we will not give up without a fight to the finish. Even Vietnam, India is fortyfying its ties with the US to HELP them. Phils and US have an agreement since time immemorial, we are JUST tryin to have it HONORED like what we did during WWII. We Filipinos have no chance against a mighty armada but to be coward in the face of an enemy is not in our vocabolary. Now, go and have a vacation in Beijing, they have a lot to offer to you, and please be an objective commentor, calling personal attack to a certain nationality as a whole is a behavior of a bullied immature six grade. <facepalm>
wu
America want to make money by way of munitions, their old business during world war Ⅱ.
iamtiffers
james, i suggest you check up on your facts before you start blaming china… you mentioned that once vietnam reunite as one country, its easier for China to invade vietnam easier… does that even make logical sense to you? when a country is split, it’s easier for another country to invade it, not when its united. and frankly, i doubt china has any intention to invade vietnam (if you think about it, there is not that much vietnam can offer that china dont already have) and i dont know what ILLEGAL money you are talking about, the large amount of aid that china sends to vietnam is for vietnam’s infrastructure and economic development…since both countries are developing, economic cooperation is what both countries are interested in. and fyi, if you know anything about china, you know that the last thing china is…is a communist country (because if it really was, vietnam wont be getting any of that illegal $ coming out of china’s surplus)
Nam, a Vietnamese
iamtiffers, hahahahaha. china was too kind to us, they did not want to invade us????????????? it was so funny and laughable. who support to Ponpot to attack the south of Vietnam? what was the purpose of the war in 1979. teach us a lesson. and you got a lesson instead. the 10 times bigger professional armed force assisted with a junk of tanks and troop to a "weak and less" amateur soldiers. And you got a serious lesson that a big fat boy got defeated by much fewer non-professional soldiers. you got your purpose. you wanted to support us? it was great, but great lie.
FJ
What a shame to see such non-sense comments in The Diplomat. I recommend certain censorship be exercised.
johnny
There are believe to be numerous oil and gas reserves in South China Sea but the main reason China claims the whole South China Sea is to hide their submarines and strikes its own neighbors with nukes if the China’s soil was attack.
DownRedChina
Can anyone answer this question: why does China has so much problem with all of its neighbors countries (Russia, Vietnam, Tibet, Mongolia, India, Japan, Korea)?
I don’t see any other country that has this kind of problem. Just China.
Frank
No country in this world has more neighbors than China.
Also China is the longest lasting country on earth. There is no other country has more history than China.
Long history also means more historical issues.
Regardless, China settled all land border issues with neighbours with the exception of India.
Now, China is working on sea border issues.
Nobody
Why Us has so many problems with countries around the world? (North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and so on)
Bose
China invaded vietnam when vietnamese troops were fighting in Cambodia but why did chinese leave Caubang and Lanson after invading because chinese knew they already lost 43000 + soldiers in few days what would happen if the vietnamese troops moves back from cambodia to vietnam … there would have been serious consequences to chinese troops……. during the vietnam war china supported only arms but at the Geneva meeting china backed USA thats what china’s backbited vietnam…. during the support of arms to vietnam during Vietnam war …….. China moved up silently towards Parcel Islands and invaded them till now………. vietnam werent strong at Naval warfare during that time because of long fought war with france and america …..even during that worse situation chinese couldnt beat vietnamese in 1979………and its 2011 vietnam is well prepared to crack china permanently if the war breaks out at south eastern sea…… half of the world war agaist China….
China Vs ( Russia ,Vietnam , USA ,Phillipinese , India ,Korea ,Japan , Australia , Indonesia , Cambodia , Laos , Malaysia ,Mongolia ) I think china would already break up thinking such a massive list to fight with……….. There are no noise from China now
westisbest
yep. chinese>east.
anhtuan
Illigal refugees in any countries can be expelled, or deported. It is the right of any soveregined nations. It can’t be justified with an act of war that killed millions of Vietnamese.( Not to bring up the fact that after the withdraw of the very war, the chinese government took 10 kilometers of Vietnam from its original border.)And currently quite a numbers of chinese are top officials in vietnamese government. To name a few: Minister of defense, PHUNG QUANG THANH, Minister of Justice, Ha Hung Cuong, Minister of transportation, HO NGHIA DUNG, Chairman state ethnic minorities committee, Giang Seo Phu. If these officials acts as spies for the china mainland will be deported or severely punished. And to me, these top chinese officials for Vietnam should be well monitored, or should not be chosen as top officials for Vietnam in the first place.