Our nation has fallen behind the threat from China. Beijing’s ongoing maritime aggression and numerous war games have cast doubt on whether our Navy can sustain peace or win in war. Making matters worse, the nation’s shipping, shipbuilding, and merchant marine, on which the nation relies to supply its forces abroad and economy at home, has atrophied to a dangerous state. This vulnerability invites economic blackmail and worse, the inability to sustain the nation’s military in war let alone keep a wartime industry functioning.

Yet, our nation still has comparative advantages in which it must invest and leverage to stay ahead of China; large innovative capacity, like-minded partners around the world, and a compelling, prosperous, and energetic democratic society. To prevail in today’s New Cold War, our Navy’s decline must be reversed, and the strategically important maritime industry given the attention it deserves.

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