War on the Rocks – What if China’s global port empire isn’t the master plan Washington fears, but a patchwork of messy deals shaped as much by local politics as Beijing’s ambitions?

The Strategist – Bill Sweetman analyses the air power on display in last week’s military parade in Beijing.

Naval News – Military parade reveals extensive new missile developments with significance for naval applications. Drones also feature heavily in commemorative display. Naval News provides an exhaustive overview.

China Maritime Studies Institute – An authoritative source has confirmed what many had long suspected: Admiral Yuan Huazhi is no longer serving as the Political Commissar of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). As the chief political officer, the Political Commissar shares responsibility with the PLAN Commander for leading the service.

While the details of ADM Yuan’s departure are unknown, it is very likely that he was a victim of the massive purge within China’s military that began in mid-2023. Unlike other senior PLA officers implicated in the purge, however, ADM Yuan’s status has not been publicly disclosed.

National Interest – James Holmes writes that Tirpitz’ “risk-fleet theory” was a debacle for Imperial Germany. But it could work for China—now playing the role of the United States during its turn-of-the-century rise to hemispheric eminence.

Naval News – China’s naval expansion continues to surprise onlookers. Less visible, until now, have been developments in underwater drones. That is about to change with an upcoming military parade in Beijing in September. Two new extra-large drone submarines (XLUUVs) will be showcased.

China Maritime Studies Institute – Like all organizations led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) suffers from endemic corruption, defined as the personal abuse of power for selfish ends…Due to the approaches adopted by units such as the 1st Destroyer Flotilla, individuals in positions of power have less leeway to engage in corrupt behavior, thereby increasing the probability that the most capable officers (commissioned and non-commissioned) will be selected for leadership positions.

China Maritime Studies Institute – Cross-sea landing operations (跨海登陆作战) is one of the primary forms of warfare for which our military is preparing, both for the present and for a period into the future. How to provide timely, reliable, continuous, and efficient equipment support for cross-sea landing operations is a critical matter requiring urgent research. The U.S. military was the first to propose the operational concept of “seabasing” to enable sea-based logistics and equipment support for forward-deployed task forces, thereby providing critical sustainment for out-of-area military operations. This seabasing initiative has important implications and provides a valuable reference for enhancing our military’s equipment support capabilities for cross-sea landing operations.

The Guardian – A Chinese warship collided with a vessel from its own coast guard while chasing a Philippine patrol boat in the South China Sea on Monday.

The War Zone – The U.S. military and Coast Guard are monitoring the simultaneous appearance of five Chinese icebreaking vessels in the Arctic region near Alaska. That unprecedented presence represents two and a half times the number of icebreakers currently capable of being operated in the entire Arctic region by the U.S. Coast Guard. Another is scheduled to be commissioned on Sundayand plans are underway to build dozens more.

The War Zone – The J-15DT electronic attack jet is optimized for new catapult-equipped aircraft carriers, but may well also embark on older Chinese flattops.

Naval News – Multiple programs for equipping present and future Chinese aircraft carriers reached significant milestones this year, including launches from new supercarrier Fujian.

The War Zone – Launching jets in an operational manner would be a critical milestone for China’s first catapult-equipped aircraft carrier.

War on the Rocks – During a June 17 speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Steve Koehler declared that despite an ongoing campaign of intimidation against its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, “China’s pressure is not working well. It has failed to intimidate Southeast Asian claimants and make them surrender their sovereign rights.”

The War Zone – There are signs that the J-35 has now entered limited series production, with carrier trials the likely next step.

China Maritime Studies Institute – People’s Republic of China (PRC) law enforcement operations function as forms of cognitive and legal warfare. They represent a clear effort to undermine international maritime law as well as Taiwan’s sovereignty.

China Maritime Studies Institute – With expectations, dreams, and curiosity, in mid-June the new sailors who had enlisted this spring joined their companies. Saying goodbye to boot camp and moving to new posts, some new sailors experienced “acclimatization issues” in the unfamiliar environment. How can we help new comrades smoothly get through the “second adjustment period”? Each unit must carefully monitor the characteristics of the new sailors in addition to guiding and educating them. This issue’s “Pathways of Youth” special edition brings you the stories and experiences of naval units as they work to effectively manage the integration of new sailors into their companies.

The War Zone – The incident is the latest in which a Chinese naval vessel has been accused of firing a laser at a Western military aircraft.

The War Zone – The first full image of China’s “Bohai Sea Monster” wing-in-ground effect craft has emerged, but major questions remain.

China Maritime Studies Institute – VADM Li Hanjun was a fast-rising star, terminated before he could make his full contribution and career achievements:

Naval News – Ekranoplans, special ultra-low flying aircraft, promise to combine features from ships, airplanes, and hovercraft. There are many designs and projects out there, but they have yet to truly realise their promise. Now the discovery of the large 4-jet ‘Bohai Sea Monster’ in China harks back to the mysterious Soviet projects of the Cold War.

CIMSEC – Writing in the November 2023 issue of Military Art (军事学术), a prestigious journal published by the Chinese Academy of Military Science, three PLAN officers revealed that the peacetime operations of Chinese submarines are highly vulnerable to the U.S. Navy’s undersea surveillance system, raising serious questions about their strategic and operational utility.