The West Pacific Route of the “Maritime Silk Road” refers to two key routes starting in the East Sea and the South China Sea. The historical experience of opening the overland silk road illustrated that accompanying the expansion of the road was not only commerce，but also a great deal of competition and conflict. The “Maritime Silk Road” will be no exception to this. China has major interests along this route that it needs to protect，and it needs to advance strategies and mechanisms for advancing the “Maritime Silk Road” based on the different characteristics of various conflicts that emerge. Increasingly critical will be the placement of the Northern，Eastern and Southern Sea Fleets that China will position around the Sea to its east in the near future，and which will eventually become three integrated naval forces collectively referred to as the “West Pacific Fleet.”

China has already emerged as a critical power in Asia，while the region of Taiwan is a key north-south maritime hub in the Far East. As such，breaking through the “front line，” and realizing unification with Taiwan is increasingly critical for China to realize its great objective of “renewal of the nation.” China’s new national defense plans should incorporate such arrangements.