On the 22nd, it was pointed out in the U.S. Congress that the United States must significantly strengthen shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea and Japan to counter China’s expansion of maritime and military influence based on its market dominance in the shipbuilding sector. This move is interpreted as an attempt by Congress to institutionally support shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea and Japan, as the Trump administration pursues the reconstruction of its domestic shipbuilding industry by leveraging South Korean and Japanese investment and technological capabilities.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific held a hearing on the topic of “Responding to China’s Market Dominance in the Shipbuilding Industry,” inviting think tank experts.
In her opening remarks, Republican Subcommittee Chair Young Kim (California) pointed out, “Today, China controls over 50% of global merchant shipbuilding, while the U.S. share is less than 0.1%.”
She continued, “If a dispute arises over the Taiwan Strait, China will not hesitate to utilize its maritime infrastructure as a military tool,” expressing concern that this constitutes not only an economic failure for the United States but also a serious vulnerability in national security.
Chair Kim stated, “We must build an aggressive shipbuilding alliance with South Korea and Japan,” adding, “If we combine U.S. innovation with the industrial capabilities of South Korea and Japan, we can break China’s maritime monopoly, and we will certainly do so.” She also emphasized the necessity of passing the “Fleets Now Act,” which she previously introduced. The core of this bill is to rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding base and workforce through attracting investment and educational exchanges with allies.
Representative Ami Bera (California), the ranking Democrat, also highlighted the importance of cooperation among allies against China, noting that South Korea and Japan are the world’s second and third-largest shipbuilding nations and stating, “We do not need to do this alone.”
Representative Bera specifically welcomed the fact that $150 billion of South Korea’s $350 billion investment in the U.S. has been allocated to the shipbuilding industry, while emphasizing that the U.S. must also present concrete long-term demand and plans to support South Korea’s investment.
He also stated, “What we are talking about is not having Korean workers build ships directly, but having skilled technicians from South Korea and Japan train American workers so that they can build the ships.”
Last February, the Trump administration announced the “U.S. Maritime Action Plan” to rebuild its underdeveloped shipbuilding industry and expressed its determination to strengthen cooperation with allies such as South Korea and Japan.
The Ships for America Act, which aims to increase the number of ships built in the United States and expand support for shipyards and shipping personnel, has also been introduced in the U.S. Congress on a bipartisan basis.
Think tank experts attending the public hearing on this day also suggested that it would be difficult for the U.S. to recover its shipbuilding capabilities independently in the short term, and recommended expanding cooperation, such as the exchange of skilled personnel, with countries like South Korea and Japan.
Brent Sadler, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, stated, “We must build a united front with key allies against China’s offensive on maritime industry and national security,” adding that not only South Korea and Japan but also the Philippines, Greece, and Taiwan could be included in this united front.