Defense & StrategyAnalysisJuly 13, 2026

China Marks Decade of Naval Expansion and South China Sea Integration

Ten years after the 2016 arbitration, Beijing highlights its transition from offshore defense to permanent maritime control through joint operations.

The Brief

On the tenth anniversary of the South China Sea Arbitration, Chinese state media and military experts are highlighting a decade of transformation for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Since the 2015 military reforms, the PLAN has shifted from isolated "offshore defense" to integrated "open seas protection," supported by fortified features in the Nansha (Spratly) Islands. With the recent deployment of the Fujian carrier and a "crushing advantage" claimed by domestic experts, Beijing is signaling a permanent shift in the regional security architecture through high-readiness maritime control and joint operations.

Why it matters

The 10th anniversary of the South China Sea Arbitration serves as a benchmark for China's military expansion in the region. The transition of the Fujian carrier and the fortification of Nansha reefs signal a shift toward permanent, high-readiness maritime control, fundamentally altering the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific.

China context

For Beijing, the South China Sea is a core interest where military strength is now viewed as the primary guarantor of legal and territorial claims. The 2015 reforms were the catalyst for this, moving the PLAN away from a secondary support role to a primary force capable of joint operations with air and rocket forces.

Editor's View

EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting. Beijing is using this anniversary to normalize its military presence as a 'fait accompli.' By framing the 2016 arbitration as a 'negative factor' and contrasting it with a decade of naval modernization, China is messaging that its physical control of the sea now supersedes international legal rulings. The emphasis on 'jointness'—integrating the Navy with other branches and the Coast Guard—suggests a strategy of 'total domain' management where traditional naval power is just one component of a broader enforcement mechanism.

What to watch

Future deployments of the Fujian carrier and its integration with the 'Carrier Five-Piece Set'.
Potential introduction of laser weapons on new naval platforms.
Frequency and scale of joint patrols between the PLAN and the China Coast Guard around disputed features like Huangyan Island.

On July 12, 2026, Chinese state media marked the tenth anniversary of the South China Sea Arbitration by detailing the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) transition into a force capable of sustained regional control. According to military experts and official reports, the last decade has seen the PLAN move from a strategy of "offshore defense" to a more assertive "open seas protection" model. ### Structural Reforms and Joint Operations Military expert Song Xiaojun attributes this shift to the 2015 defense reforms, which he describes as the most profound in the history of the People's Republic. These reforms integrated the Navy into three theater commands, ensuring that naval units are no longer "fighting alone" but are instead supported by other military branches. This integration has reportedly multiplied the PLAN's operational capacity, making long-distance patrols and high-frequency exercises in the South China Sea a "routine" occurrence compared to their rarity a decade ago. ### Fortification of the Nansha Islands A critical component of this strategy has been the physical upgrade of features in the Nansha (Spratly) Islands. China has completed construction on Yongshu, Meiji, and Zhubi reefs, which now feature functional airports, radar networks, and anti-ship and air-defense missile systems. Expert Li Yaqing notes that these islands have transitioned from "quantitative to qualitative" change, allowing for continuous combat readiness and permanent maritime patrols that have fundamentally altered the security conditions of the sea. ### Advanced Naval Platforms The deployment of the Fujian, China’s first carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, remains a focal point of this expansion. In June 2026, the Fujian conducted routine training by transiting the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea. This vessel is central to what experts call the "Carrier Five-Piece Set," a core system of carrier-based aircraft. Song Xiaojun suggests that future developments may include a "six-piece set" incorporating laser weapons and other advanced technologies. ### Strategic Outlook While Beijing maintains that its military presence is intended to safeguard regional peace and is not targeted at any specific nation, domestic experts express a high degree of confidence in their current posture. Li Yaqing claims that China now possesses a "crushing advantage" against hostile forces within the Second Island Chain. This military strength is increasingly paired with China Coast Guard enforcement, particularly around Huangyan Island, to maintain what Beijing describes as "effective control" over disputed waters.