China links shipyards, merchant shipping, naval growth, and overseas ports

Mercogliano compares China's maritime position with Britain's industrial and commercial dominance a century earlier. He connects commercial and naval shipbuilding with the merchant fleet and overseas ports associated with the Belt and Road Initiative. His description of the system as mercantilist draws a comparison with the British East India Company. A reported hijacking of a Chinese vessel off Somalia raises the question of how China would protect those interests. He expects an attempt to settle matters behind the scenes and considers naval pressure another possibility. The incident remains unresolved at the time of the interview.