Quantifying Maritime Power: A Systematic Index of China’s Maritime Projection in Six Strategic Regions

Maritime power constitutes a central component of national power, enabling states to project influence beyond their borders. Contemporary maritime power projection does not focus on naval capabilities alone, encompassing diplomacy, commercial infrastructure, control of supply chains and resources, and even grey-zone activities. This study introduces the Maritime Power Projection Index (MPPI) to assess China’s maritime power projection across six strategically significant regions between 2012–2024. The findings reveal a clear regional hierarchy: China’s maritime presence is strongest in the South China Sea, followed by the Indian Ocean and East Asia, the Mediterranean and South Atlantic, and limited engagement in the Arctic. Overall, the analysis underscores China’s evolving role as a global maritime actor, highlighting the multidimensional nature of maritime power in the twenty-first century.