Abstract
In September of 2012, China commissioned its first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, which showed both the significant strides made in Chinese shipbuilding and the limitations that remain. China’s commissioning of Liaoning exemplifies the PRC’s commitment to its maritime ambitions, which now entail disputed maritime claims and protecting Chinese fishing and merchant fleets. While the commission of Liaoning shows that China has advanced its maritime strategy, it also shows that China still has a ways to go; its maritime strategy is still evolving, and this carrier is not yet fully operational. This article examines the history of Chinese maritime strategy and looks at the operational capabilities of Liaoning in order to see the implications that China’s carrier program has on the Western Pacific and beyond.
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