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China’s ships are out of sight. Can the US catch up?

China’s shipyards build so many vessels that the balance of power on the high seas lies totally in its favour.

A drone view shows workers building a vessel at a shipyard in Yizheng, Jiangsu province, China August 25, 2025. cnsphoto via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN CHINA

A drone view showing workers building a vessel at a shipyard in Yizheng, in China’s Jiangsu province, on Aug 25.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Tan Dawn Wei

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When South Korea’s new leader Lee Jae Myung visited the White House at the end of August, he brought along a juicy deal for US President Donald Trump – a US$150 billion (S$192 billion) package he nicknamed “Masga”, or Make America Shipbuilding Great Again.

After being threatened by 25 per cent tariffs, the US ally managed to assuage Mr Trump with the promise of US$350 billion in investments, including helping the US to

revitalise its languishing shipbuilding industry

– a priority that the Trump administration has set out as China speeds ahead to become a mighty global maritime power.

China’s ships are out of sight. Can the US catch up?

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