Part 7/10:
Through a strategy known as civil-military fusion, China maintains oversight of these commercial vessels and has been integrating them into military exercises. For instance, passenger ferries have been repurposed to transport military equipment and tanks, blurring lines between civilian and military assets, posing potential legal and combat challenges.
China's missile technology further exemplifies the risks. The country has demonstrated capabilities to install missile systems on commercial ships—a chilling prospect for naval strategies that rely on distinguishing between civilian and military entities.