Like all countries with a long maritime tradition, there are many unique ways each country's navy fight. The US Navy, for example, is known for never giving up. It still honors John Paul Jones's famous saying “I have not yet begun to fight.” In 1905, Jones's body was even exhumed from a Parisian cemetery and reburied in the Annapolis chapel to symbolize the importance of this American characteristic. Other global navies have their own ingrained beliefs, some of which defy reason, including the Royal Navy half-gill ration of grog per day or how Japanese pilots preferred death, many opting not to bring a parachute with them on missions, to the dishonor of military defeat. The focus of this book will be on those special characteristics that distinguish the Chinese navy.

The fourteen historical case studies presented below will help to illustrate a number of special characteristics that modern-day Chinese naval officers perhaps take for granted, including a belief in the Mandate of Heaven, tributary system, and the fear of “losing face,” either in a diplomatic setting, in a military defeat, or by risking valuable equipment in battle. Ethnic and language differences, regional loyalties, and political mistrust potentially exacerbate these problems. Peculiarities include the Mongol dual-officer diarchy that led to political commissar system utilized by the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Meanwhile, outside naval influences, such as blockade, sanctions, or embargoes, can exert a profound impact on China, just as foreign intervention or, equally important, a decision not to intervene, can often determine the outcome of major maritime events.

Since 1949, two Han Chinese-dominated governments have opposed each other across the Taiwan Strait. Historically, effective rule in China required a strong Mandate of Heaven. Signs of this included the defeat of the ruler's political rivals, the absence of internal rebellions, strong central control over the provinces, and domestic prosperity. As long as the ruler's Mandate of Heaven appeared to be strong, the vast majority of Chinese accepted their fate and would go along with the status quo. If, however, the ruler's Mandate of Heaven seemed questionable, then a new leader might be tempted to claim the mandate for himself while the military could suddenly switch sides in an internal rebellion to abandon the ruling government in favor of its challenger.