Analysis of China’s Maritime Power Strategy Based on the Game of Weiqi

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Regional Studies, Law and Politics Faculty, University of Tehran. Iran

2 Ph.d in International Relations, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

10.22124/wp.2026.31532.3580

Abstract

The pursuit of maritime power has historically been regarded as one of the fundamental prerequisites for ascending to the status of a global power. China, as a rising power with ambitions to become a dominant actor in international politics, has since the 1980s gradually shifted from a land-oriented strategic posture to a maritime-oriented strategy. While Western scholars have often analyzed China’s maritime strategy through classical Western frameworks—such as Mahan’s sea power theory or Corbett’s maritime strategy—this article argues that these perspectives only partially explain the logic behind China’s naval rise. To provide a more nuanced understanding, this study employs the traditional Chinese strategic game Weiqi (also known as Go) as a conceptual framework. Unlike chess, which emphasizes decisive battles and elimination of the opponent, Weiqi prioritizes gradual expansion, encirclement, flexibility, and patience. The core question addressed here is: How can China’s maritime power strategy be understood through the logic and principles of the Weiqi game?

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