Silent Threats: China’s Secret Military Capabilities Embedded in Merchant Ships

In a dramatic scene reminiscent of a high-stakes thriller, a Chinese-flagged container ship arrived at a major American port and suddenly transformed into a clandestine weapon of war. Inside its many containers were cruise and anti-ship missiles, kamikaze drones and roving munitions, all launched without warning.

This nightmare scenario, while fictional, is alarmingly plausible given China’s progress in merging military and civilian capabilities. Thomas Shugart of the Center for a New American Security recently sounded the alarm, illustrating how Chinese merchant ships could be equipped for sudden and devastating attacks. Shugart cited a Chinese container ship stationed near the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, potentially armed with hundreds of missiles.

Shugart’s warnings underscore the broader strategy of China’s civil-military fusion policy, in which state-owned companies like COSCO Shipping play dual roles, both in commercial shipping and in supporting PLA operations. This combination of capabilities blurs the lines between the civil and military domains, complicating threat assessments and heralding new security challenges for the United States and its allies.

(With contributions from agencies.)