China’s maritime ambitions making waves in Pacific

China’s communist rulers are making waves in the Pacific as they extend their naval strength and reach while Japan and the Philippines bolster their own fleets, increasing the risk of a maritime conflict, analysts say.

Five warships completed China’s first circumnavigation of Japan last week in a clear show of force. Other vessels regularly patrol various territories contested by Tokyo and other neighbours – prompting Japan to summon Beijing’s ambassador for a protest on Thursday.

At the same time China’s first aircraft carrier is already in service, and top naval commanders have promised it will have more.

“What we are seeing is that China’s Communist Party leadership is now trying to leverage its new military capabilities to achieve political-strategic goals,” said Rick Fisher, an expert on Asian military affairs with the US-based International Assessment and Strategy Centre.

President Xi Jinping has in recent weeks reaffirmed his country’s aim of establishing itself as a maritime power.

At the same time Washington, which maintains military bases around the region and has strong ties with South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, intends to “pivot” its attention towards Asia