China's waning interest in maritime activities, from the late 15th century on, ended when the People's Republic of China came to power in 1949. The new government, with few shipping and shipbuilding resources, took 12 years to initiate, in 1961, a maritime program for a national flag merchant marine. Within 26 years, in 1987, China ranked ninth in tonnage of ocean-going merchant ships and fourth in commercial shipbuilding among the world's maritime countries--a remarkable achievement unequaled by any other nation in peacetime.

"China's Rise to Commercial Maritime Power" examines the...