Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the navy’s largest-ever military display on Thursday, state media reported, the country’s latest show of force in the South China Sea. During the parade President Xi boarded the  missile destroyer Changsha and inspected the vessels and troops, he later watched as four J-15 fighter jets took off from China’s Liaoning, the first aircraft carrier commissioned into the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force . 

During his visit, Xi delivered a speech, emphasizing that China's need for a world-leading naval force "has never been more pressing than today" and urged them to devote all of their loyalty to the party. He said the PLA should work to develop its naval forces, build up modern maritime combat systems and strengthen its capability in diversified military missions.

Historically China has always been a land-oriented country in spite of its 18,000 km coastline. During the Opium War of 1840, this weakness was exploited when the British Royal Navy invaded China and won. Since then, China has been invaded over 80 times by western imperial countries, using the same mechanism. The sea's weak naval defense force became the shame of the nation, and is a reason why the Chinese perceive a powerful navy as a necessity for a leading world power.

The sea is still a primary threat when it comes to security, and as such China is in the process of developing a powerful navy force to combat this. During the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012 the objective to “build a strong maritime power” was put forward. A year later at a study session with members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Xi, the general secretary of the CPC central Commiittee called for efforts to further manage the development of the ocean and to build China into a nation with a strong maritime power. This greatly sped up the development of China’s maritime forces.  

Most of the vessels in the recent naval parade were enlisted after the 18th NPC national congress, which demonstrates the speed and scale of the PLA Navy's development over the past 5 years. 

The warships demonstrated skills in strategic strike force, underwater attack force, far-sea combat force, aircraft carrier, amphibious strike force, near-sea defense force and comprehensive support force, showcasing the revolutionary transformation that the PLA Navy has undertaken. 

The parade demonstrates China’s ever growing efforts to protect its legitimate maritime rights and to deter conflict and war. 

During the 60th anniversary of the PLA Navy in 2009, former President Hu Jintao reassured heads of foreign navy delegations that China would not try to seek hegemony nor compete in military expansion or arms races with other countries. 

This sentiment was further enforced during the study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in 2013, when Xi reiterated that the construction of a strong maritime power would be used to promote peace, development and cooperation. 

(The author is a research fellow of the PLA Naval Research Academy. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.)