ThinkTankWeekly

Revisiting the Relationship Between Economic and Sea Power

CSIS | 2026-05-24 | china_indopacific

Topics: China, Nuclear, Trade, United States

Visit original source

ThinkTankWeekly provides a curated entry and summary only. Full text and PDF remain on the publisher's website.

English Summary

The US faces a critical 'maritime crisis' because the decline of its commercial and industrial base has severely weakened its capacity to project sea power, particularly relative to China's massive shipbuilding dominance. To counter this strategic risk, the publication argues that the US must adopt a modern, competitive industrial policy—a 'Mahanian moment'—that treats maritime power as an integrated system. Policy recommendations center on implementing performance-gated funding, making the Strategic Commercial Fleet contestable, and using allied partnerships to stimulate demand and lower costs. This approach aims to transform state-led industrial strategy into a market mechanism that rebuilds the domestic maritime industrial base and ensures reliable global supply lines.

中文摘要

美國正面臨一場關鍵的「海權危機」,因為其商業和工業基礎的衰退,嚴重削弱了其投射海權的能力,尤其是在與中國龐大的造船業主導地位相比之下。為應對此一戰略風險,本文提出,美國必須採取一套現代化、具競爭力的產業政策——一個「馬漢式轉捩點」——將海權視為一個整合系統。政策建議的核心包括實施績效掛鉤的資金撥付、使戰略商船隊的競爭化,並利用盟友夥伴關係來刺激需求和降低成本。此一方法旨在將國家主導的產業戰略轉化為市場機制,從而重建國內的海事工業基礎,並確保可靠的全球供應鏈。

Related Entries

  1. 1.
    2026-07-13 | china_indopacific | 2026-W29 | Topics: China, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, NATO, Nuclear, Russia, Taiwan, Trade, Ukraine, United States

    The China-Russia partnership is a highly consequential geopolitical alignment driven by a shared goal of countering U.S. hegemony and reshaping the international order into a multipolar system. While not a formal alliance, this relationship is strengthened by Russia's increasing economic reliance on China following Western sanctions, which allows Beijing to leverage its influence. Policymakers should note that while the partnership projects deep solidarity (as seen in high-level summits), it remains complex and limited by mutual mistrust and competing strategic interests. This enduring alignment poses a significant challenge to U.S. interests and requires continued diplomatic vigilance.

    Read at Brookings

  2. 2.
    2026-07-13 | defense | 2026-W29 | Topics: Europe, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, NATO, Nuclear, Russia

    The Chatham House analysis concludes that the UK's Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will be viewed by NATO allies as a mixed bag, primarily due to its failure to commit to higher GDP spending targets. However, the plan signals critical strategic improvements by emphasizing novel technologies—such as autonomous systems and digital infrastructure—and enhancing readiness. Crucially, the DIP adopts an international focus through major collaborative programs (e.g., AUKUS, GCAP) and establishes a new National Armaments Director Group (NADG). This structural shift toward flexible, portfolio-based collaboration is strategically valuable for NATO allies seeking reliable partners as US conventional forces reduce their European presence.

    Read at Chatham House

  3. 3.
    2026-07-13 | defense | 2026-W29 | Topics: China, Europe, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, United States

    The article argues that the U.S., through recent policy signals—such as questioning NATO's value or sympathizing with great-power territorial claims—is inadvertently adopting the core tenets of non-alignment, prioritizing transactional national interests over binding alliances. Historically, while non-alignment allowed developing nations to gain benefits without commitment, the analysis notes that this approach lacks the deep trust and shared obligations necessary for robust security structures. The implication is critical: by undermining established alliances, the U.S. risks losing its greatest strategic asset—the network of mutual commitments—as allies actively seek alternative bilateral or regional defense pacts.

    Read at CFR

  4. 4.
    2026-07-13 | health | 2026-W29 | Topics: United States

    The roundtable established that implementing generational bans represents a powerful, long-term strategy for tackling deeply entrenched public health crises like tobacco use. Using the UK’s permanent ban on selling cigarettes to those born after 2009 as key evidence, experts analyzed how such policies fundamentally alter market dynamics and consumer behavior over time. These lessons suggest that other nations facing persistent addiction challenges should consider adopting similar age-gating or generational restrictions to accelerate decline and set a precedent for future public health policy interventions.

    Read at CFR

  5. 5.
    2026-07-13 | energy | 2026-W29 | Topics: Climate, Trade, United States

    The CSIS analysis finds that the U.S. grid's regulatory framework for connecting large loads is severely fragmented and unprepared for the massive electricity demands posed by AI data centers. FERC has mandated significant reforms across six regional operators, requiring them to modernize interconnection studies, prevent cost-shifting, and establish clear tariffs for co-located generation. Evidence shows that most operators fall far short of these new standards, necessitating complex, multi-year policy adjustments rather than simple compliance. Policymakers must coordinate federal regulation (FERC) with state utilities to accelerate grid modernization, ensuring energy affordability while maintaining technological competitiveness.

    Read at CSIS