Liu Huaqing: The Father of Modern Chinese Naval Strategy (legrandcontinent.eu)

• Liu Huaqing developed the three-island chain strategy to expand China's naval reach into the Pacific.
• China now has three aircraft carriers and plans nine by 2035, surpassing US Pacific fleet.
• Xi Jinping has consolidated power, purging top generals and making the PLA his personal instrument.

"The article profiles Liu Huaqing, the architect of China's modern naval strategy. He transformed the PLA Navy from a coastal force into a blue-water navy with the three-island chain strategy. Under Xi Jinping, China has accelerated carrier construction and purged military rivals, centralizing control. Liu's doctrine of 'active defense of near seas' now underpins Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea and beyond."