China should speed up plans to use civilian ships to support military operations during a war, a researcher at the country’s top economic planning agency has said, pointing to Britain’s use of commercial vessels during the 1982 Falklands War.
The proposal comes as China’s security and economic interests increasingly extend into the maritime sector.
Using commercial vessels could give the military access to more transport and support ships during a conflict without requiring it to maintain a much larger fleet of specialised vessels in peacetime.
Li Jin, from the Research Centre for Coordinated Economic and National Defence Development under China’s National Development and Reform Commission, made the recommendation in an article published last month in Defence Industry Conversion in China.
The publication comes under China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.
Lessons from the Falklands War
Li said Britain’s experience in the Falklands War showed how civilian ships could support military operations.
Britain
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