China appears to be quietly contemplating an unconventional approach to rapidly boosting its naval power — transforming its vast commercial shipping fleet into an armada of makeshift warships.

Part of Beijing’s drive to integrate civilian resources with national defense requirements, the concept — if successfully implemented — could supplement the capabilities of what is already the world’s largest navy by ship numbers, potentially altering the balance of military power in the Indo-Pacific.

The aim, experts say, is to find new ways for commercial ships to support operations by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

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