Six years at sea ... and counting : Gulf of Aden anti-piracy and China's maritime commons presence

Well Over Six Years Of Chinese Anti-piracy Operations In The Gulf Of Aden Have Directly Supported People's Liberation Army Navy (plan) Modernization Goals And Provided Invaluable Experience Operating In Distant Waters. Lessons Learned Have Spawned Plan Innovations In Doctrine, Operations, And International Coordination. Many Of The Insights Gleaned During Deployments Are Applicable To Security Objectives Closer To Home; Some Officers Enjoy Promotion To Important Positions After Returning. Anti-piracy Operations Have Been A Springboard For China To Expand Considerably Its Maritime Security Operations, From Evacuating Its Citizens From Libya And Yemen To Escorting Syrian Chemical Weapons To Their Destruction And Participating In The Search For Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. So Great Are The Benefits To China's Global Maritime Presence And Enhanced Image At Home And Abroad That When Gulf Of Aden Anti-piracy Operations Finally Wind Down, Beijing Will Have To Develop New Means To Address Its Burgeoning Overseas Interests. Executive Summary -- Key Judgements -- Introduction -- Why China's Navy Has Entered And Remained In The Gulf Of Aden -- From Recognition To Response: Institutional Processes And Preparations For Deployments -- Six Years Of Anti-piracy And Broader Plan Growth -- Gulf Of Aden Operations And China's Future Far Seas Presence -- Conclusion: A New Approach To Maritime Commons Security? By Andrew S. Erickson And Austin M. Strange. June 2015. Includes Bibliographical References.

Every wave has its genesis some distance from shore. In this regard, China’s historic anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden since 2008 have offered governments, researchers and pundits a rare window into Beijing’s nascent global maritime strategy. This study is one of the first attempts to comprehensively document and clarify the precise nature of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s maritime anti-piracy experience. It begins with an analysis of the internal drivers behind Beijing’s turn to taking on piracy beginning nearly a decade ago. Through a thorough reading of official and academic Chinese- and English-language sources, we explore geostrategic, domestic and international economic, and civilian and military institutional dynamics that drove China’s initial decision to contribute to anti-piracy off the coast of Somalia.The book then inspects the nature and scope of the PLAN’s anti-piracy efforts, extensively cataloguing more than a score of anti-piracy escort flotillas in terms of the types of ships used, the identities of ship commanders and political leaders, foreign ports called upon, days at sea, and various other metrics. This allows us to track the operational evolution of PLAN anti-piracy operations over time, both with regard to Chinese naval and logistical lessons learned as well as trends in China’s naval diplomatic efforts attached to its anti-piracy mission.Finally, we take stock of the broader implications of Beijing’s anti-piracy operations and find reason for measured optimism with regard to China’s role in future global maritime governance. While Beijing remains embroiled in testy military and political standoffs in East Asian waters, the atmosphere further afield is ripe for greater Chinese collaboration with the United States and other important maritime actors. If anything, China’s naval behavior further afield reflected by its anti-piracy missions remains relatively cautious and conservative, and other stakeholders would benefit from even deeper Chinese contributions in the future.