Chinese Ports: From Logistics Hubs to Instruments of Global Strategy

The article examines the transformation of China’s port system as a key factor in its economic and geopolitical influence in the 21st century. Since the reforms of 1978, China has made an unprecedented breakthrough in the development of maritime infrastructure. Today, China accounts for 25% of global maritime transport. The author identifies nine pillars of China’s port leadership, including technological dominance, automation, the creation of transnational logistics networks, and expansion within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative. Particular attention is paid to the strategic role of ports as soft power instruments: through the management of key hubs, China forms zones of economic influence, and the digitalization of ports allows it to control global supply chains. Using the example of cargo turnover and container transportation dynamics, it is shown how port infrastructure has become the driver of the transition from the “world factory” model to the status of an architect of international trade. The article concludes by analyzing the prospects of the “Digital Silk Road” and the risks of the transition from physical expansion to technological dominance.