NWC 2025 INS Lecture - Chris Sharman: China's Naval Expansion

This Issues in National Security Lecture took place on February 11, 2025. The views presented by the faculty or other guest speakers do not reflect official positions of the Naval War College, DON or DOD. Synopsis: This lecture addresses how China is building toward developing a "world class" navy. There are multiple ways to measure a “world-class” navy; what matters most are China’s own criteria informing its efforts toward that end. Capabilities-based benchmarks are a widespread measure of a navy’s level; PLA leadership appears focused on developing the capabilities that improve the PLAN’s proficiency to execute specified missions at the operational level of war. Xi seeks for his navy to surpass U.S.-level capabilities regarding PRC policy priorities by pursuing novel technological and developmental pathways to becoming the world’s most capable navy in these mission sets. China’s 2019 Defense White Paper (DWP) provides a roadmap for these missions. Only when the PLAN successfully integrates the means required to support the full range of these missions will Beijing perceive it has reached world-class status. By sowing doubt about PLAN capability to execute these missions, Washington can downgrade Party-military leadership perceptions about China’s world-class naval status and instill restraint. Speaker bio: Captain Christopher Sharman, USN (Ret.) has served as the Director of the U.S. Naval War College's widely respected China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) since October 2023. He comes to CMSI following a 30-year active-duty Navy career that included diplomatic postings at U.S. Embassies in both China and Vietnam and multiple operational afloat assignments with the Japan-based Forward Deployed Naval Forces. His afloat assignments included tours aboard USS Independence (CV 62), with the Strike Group Staff embarked aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), and with the 7th Fleet Staff embarked aboard USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). He also served as a National Security Affairs Fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. His military career culminated with his assignment to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the Senior Strategist for the National Intelligence Manager for East Asia with responsibilities for synchronizing the Intelligence Community’s China efforts. He has written numerous articles for various journals, is a frequent podcast guest, and published a monograph through the Institute of National Strategic Studies titled, China Moves Out: Stepping Stones Toward a New Maritime Strategy INS Certificate: Certificates of Participation can be provided to viewers who have seen 70 percent (%) of the lectures offered this season. For eligibility, lectures could have been attended in person, watched via Zoom, or watched when the lectures are posted to YouTube. You can certify that you have viewed at least 70% (7 of the 10) INS lectures by filling out the following form: https://forms.office.com/r/GPBBg0cN9L