Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
August 22, 2025
US Seeks Asian Shipbuilding Partnerships to Counter China, Revive US Industry
TLDR
- US partnerships with South Korean and Japanese shipbuilders will enhance naval capabilities and create economic advantages in countering China's maritime influence.
- The plan involves forming joint ventures to construct and repair noncombatant vessels for the US Navy while investing in American shipyards.
- Revitalizing shipbuilding will create thousands of jobs and stimulate economic growth, improving communities and national security for future generations.
- Maryland's WWII shipyards built 384 Liberty ships and employed pioneering women welders, showing historic industrial capability ready for revival.
Impact - Why it Matters
This development matters because it represents a strategic shift in naval manufacturing that could revitalize American industrial capabilities while creating thousands of skilled jobs in maritime states. For Maryland specifically, it offers an opportunity to leverage its historical shipbuilding expertise to address current economic challenges, potentially closing budget gaps through industrial investment rather than austerity measures. The partnerships also strengthen regional security against Chinese naval expansion while rebuilding domestic manufacturing capacity that has declined over decades.
Summary
U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) are leading efforts to form joint ventures with South Korean and Japanese shipbuilders to construct and repair noncombatant vessels for the U.S. Navy in the Indo-Pacific region, while bringing critical investments to American shipyards. This strategic move aims to counter China's growing naval influence and revitalize domestic shipbuilding capacity, creating significant economic opportunities for states with historical maritime industries.
Maryland emerges as a prime candidate for this revitalization, given its rich shipbuilding heritage during World War II when facilities like the Bethlehem Fairfield Shipyard produced 384 Liberty ships and 94 Victory ships while employing thousands of workers including women and African Americans. The Sparrows Point Shipyard, Key Highway Yards, and Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Company transformed Baltimore into a major industrial hub, demonstrating the state's proven capability to support large-scale naval projects and generate substantial economic growth.
Despite this promising opportunity highlighted by citybiz, the article criticizes Maryland's leadership for missing this chance while focusing on other priorities, suggesting that embracing shipbuilding partnerships could help address the state's budget challenges and potentially Make Maryland Great Again through job creation and industrial renewal in the maritime sector.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, US Seeks Asian Shipbuilding Partnerships to Counter China, Revive US Industry
