While still a long way off from challenging the United States as the predominant world naval power, China's modernized People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is beginning to take a more assertive role in an expanding theater of operations. Previously content on patrolling coastal waters and preparing for an armed conflict with Taiwan, China now has a naval presence all along commercial sea routes to the Middle East and has stepped up military operations in the contested waters of the East and South China Seas.
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