The U.S Grows Wary As China Continues To Expand Its Navy

China’s navy chief, Adm. Wu Shengli, left, speaks with U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert during a ceremony last summer in Beijing. Photo: Stephen Shaver/Press Pool

Wall Street Journal: As China Expands Its Navy, the U.S. Grows Wary

Washington is divided over whether Beijing should be viewed as naval partner or potential adversary.

China’s navy chief, Adm. Wu Shengli, strolled the Harvard University campus in a tweed blazer and slacks during a visit to the U.S. last fall, joking with students and quizzing school officials about enrolling some of his officers.

A few days earlier, he became the first Chinese navy chief to attend a 113-nation naval forum in Rhode Island, where he hailed U.S.-China military ties and discussed working together on global maritime challenges.

Shortly after his U.S. visit, Adm. Wu took another trip—this time to the Spratly Islands, an archipelago in the South China Sea where his country appears to be building a network of artificial island fortresses in contested waters. It was his first known visit to facilities U.S. officials fear could be used to enforce Chinese control of nearly all the South China Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.

WNU Editor: The Chinese have been very clear in the past few years that their goal is to first establish a modern naval force in their region of Asia, followed by a modern global navy. As to whether or not they should be viewed as naval partner or potential adversary .... from the Chinese perspective .... they see the U.S. as the adversary.