The Development Of Land-power And Sea-power

Geography is the best reference for explaining a country's foreign policy, therefore, the Geopolitics is very popular in the world. Concerning geopolitics'researching, every country pays attention to the development of country's Land power and Sea power. Being a Sea-land compound country, China has many advantages to succeed in developing Land power and Sea power, while she is in a dilemma between Land power and Sea power choice. Therefore, Chinese geopolitics strategic choice not only uses history experience for reference, but also is with a view to the word trend in the future. China can make use of sea-land compound advantage to serve Chinese peaceful develop.Geopolitics is the result from Human Geography development. The relationship between human and environment is mentioned in Archaian Greece.After long historic development, Geopolitics is formed in the end of 19^th century. Geopolitics mainly includes three theory genres: the first is Sea power theory that emphasizes the sea development; the second is Land power theory that pays attention to the "Heartland of the continent"; the third is the "Rimland" theory that mainly describes the important of Rimland of the Eurasia. Whether China develops the Sea power or the Land power, both of choice can find theory support from three theories above mentioned.In the late Qing dynasty, the controversy between "Coast defence" and "Land defence" resulted from imbalance distribution of military expenditure, which also indicated that Sea-land compound country faced double threat. The key reason for distribution between "Coast defence" and "Land defence" was their different understanding in geographical strategic choice. Land security is the most important concern for Chinese past dynasties. With capitalism development and seafaring advancement, Chinese geostrategic environment has changed . From that time on, the Sea power development was brought into Chinese navy building.As a Sea-land compound country, China lies in the brim of Eurasia, and not only has qualification to develop Land power, but also has potential to be Sea power. For China, Land security can protect political and military security, and is the base of the country's stabilization. With the world's politic and economic changes, Chinese security environment transferred, and the trend of Chinese development in the future, sea power is much more strategic for China.From the different result about "Coast defence" and "Land defence" in the Qing dynasty, we can draw lots of lessons. The challenges on the land demand China not to neglect develop land power, but much more uncompleted things on the developpement of the sea power need China to pay much more attention to sea power advancement. Those are some reasons for considering Sea power as primary choice for Chinese geostrategic strategy as follows. First of all, the core of Chinese geostrategic security lies in the east cost. Secondly, relative safty on the land is opportunity for Sea power development. Thirdly, Sea power development accords with the theory of geo-economics. What's more, the development of oceanic economy and the scientific researches in the arctic pole and South pole all need China to have one strong navy. Besides, ocean trade, sea power development and civilization spread abroad are unifiable. Traditional culture can make use of ocean trade to spread Chinese culture, which will increase Chinese "soft power" . In addition, harmonious culture can contribute to clear up the idea of "Chinese threaten"; furthermore, that can make the whole world well understand the building of "harmonious world" which is advocated by Chinese leader.