Unlike geographically isolated Soviet fleets, China's three coastal fleets share operating areas and can combine forces. Their naval headquarters consequently has a strong operational role in doctrine, carrier groups, and joint submarine-surface operations. A defensive bastion mindset trades maritime mobility for support from land-based forces and can restrict a navy's freedom of maneuver. Recent deployments suggest that PLAN operations are already moving beyond some of those inherited limits.
Notable Point · 22:41-30:15
Three fleets, one coast, and an evolving bastion doctrine
The PLAN's adjacent northern, eastern, and southern fleets can reinforce one another, even as inherited bastion structures constrain naval mobility.