The scale of Chinese naval modernization in the past three decades has been staggering. Whereas in the 20th century the Chinese navy played second fiddle to the army, in the 21st they have become a force to be reckoned with in their own right.

My guest today has spent decades closely watching the PLAN’s development. Captain James Fanell is a retired naval intelligence officer whose most recent assignment was as the Director of Intelligence and Information Operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet. He previously also served as the Senior Intelligence Officer for China in the Office of Naval Intelligence.

We talk about Chinese progress in ballistic- and cruise-missile technology, their plans for a maritime information architecture, undersea warfare, and what all this means for Taiwan and for the ability of the U.S. Navy to maintain deterrence in the western Pacific.