| Sea power is a country’s ability to achieve economic prosperity and sustainable social development with the help of the ocean platform.In a sense,sea power determines the rise and fall of a country.Its political,economic and security values are of great significance to the development of a country.Backed by the Eurasian continent and facing the Pacific Ocean,China has a long coastline and a vast ocean area.It is a typical maritime country with vast ocean area,but not a maritime country with strong maritime power.In view of a series of challenges to its maritime sovereignty at present,China proposes to "accelerate the construction of the maritime power",and to elevate the development of maritime rights to national strategic level.To develop what kind of sea power and how to develop it have become a major issue in China’s current development.Chinese sea power and western sea power have something in common.That is,they all exploit,utilize,control and administer the sea.The difference is that Chinese sea power is based on its own characteristics,its national development strategy and realistic environment,pursuing peaceful sea power in line with its own interests.It does not have the characteristics of expansion,hegemony and power like western countries.The development of China’s maritime rights revolves around safeguarding its own legitimate rights and interests.Through making clear of the historical development of Chinese sea power,it is found that China’s exploration of sea power is increasingly comprehensive,the awareness of sea power continues to increase,the connotation of sea power continues to enrich,and the development direction of sea power is gradually clear.Due to multiple obstacles such as insufficient awareness of maritime rights,weak sea power and the erosion of maritime rights and interests,China has missed the best opportunity to develop its sea power in modern times.Historical experience shows that a country with formidable sea power is strong,while a country with poor sea power is weak.In order to safeguard national economic security,promote peaceful reunification,safeguard maritime rights and interests,ensure national defense security,and finally achieve the goal of becoming a country with strong sea power,China must move towards the ocean,manage the ocean,and develop its maritime rights and interests.The superior geographical environment,formidable sea power,strong economic strength and an active government have laid a solid foundation for the development of China’s sea power.At present,a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution is emerging,which provides a shortcut for China to accelerate beyond the traditional maritime powers.The in-depth development toward a multi-polar world,the changes in the international landscape and the comparisons of national power are conducive to China’s peaceful rise.Issues like unprecedented marine environmental crisis,severe sea passage safety problems,and the absence of international maritime legal system affect the development of China’s maritime rights.The development of China’s maritime rights requires a balance between two overall situations: the unprecedented great changes unseen in a century,and the strategic and overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.It involves multiple aspects such as maritime sovereignty,maritime corridor security,marine economic development and maritime defense,requiring coordinated development and joint response.Firstly,we must resolutely safeguard China’s maritime sovereignty,flexibly handle the maritime disputes between China and Japan,properly resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea,and advance the peaceful development of cross-straits relations and national reunification.Secondly,we need to strengthen the security of sea lanes in the Pacific and Indian Oceans by taking measures like building strategic maritime pivots,strengthening maritime security cooperation,and ensuring regular naval escort operations,etc.Thirdly,we need to ensure the sustainable development of the marine economy and build a strong maritime economy.On the one hand,we need to build a strong maritime capability by establishing ocean-going super merchant fleets,improving the developmental quality of shipbuilding industry,and promoting the port intelligent transformation;On the other hand,we need to enhance our capacity for comprehensive marine development through promoting the development of marine energy,and enhancing our capacity to develop marine science and technology to strengthen our sea power.Fourthly,we need to strengthen maritime defense forces,realize the transformation of maritime defense strategy from "near sea defense" to "far sea defense",and continue to promote the ocean-going and modernization process of the Chinese Navy. |
