Image: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in November 2017. Public Domain. Via Wikimedia Commons. While the world was busy watching trade wars and tech races, China quietly launched a different kind of offensive-one that’s reshaping the balance of power at sea. China has quietly but decisively taken command of the global shipbuilding industry—and with it, a growing influence over the world's maritime order. Once a minor player with just 5% of the global market in the early 2000s, China now accounts for over 53% of global shipbuilding value as of 2024. In contrast, South Korea and Japan — once the industry giants — now hold about 42% combined. The United States, remarkably, contributes less than 1%, highlighting its near absence from the commercial shipbuilding race. This is not just an economic shift; it's a strategic transformation with serious military implications. China’s Rapid Rise: More Than Just Numbers The rise of China in shipbuilding didn’t happen overnight. It’s the product...