Trump’s plan to revive US shipbuilding sends ‘critical signal’ to China amid flaring trade tensions: Expert

President Donald Trump’s move to create an office of shipbuilding to resurrect a sunken U.S. sector and level the maritime playing field sends a “critical signal” to China, as the key foreign adversary ramps up “war” talks against the U.S., expert Gordon Chang argued Thursday.

Speaking to FOX Business, the Gatestone Institute senior fellow said, while the U.S. will be able to access the shipbuilding capacity of allies like Japan and South Korea, who comprise a bulk of the non-Chinese market, it “won’t be enough.”

“We need to build ships in the United States. We need to be resilient, and we cannot rely on others, and this office of shipbuilding in the White House is a critical signal, and it’s a very good one,” he said on “Mornings with Maria.”

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Chang predicted the U.S. will have no problems with Japanese shipbuilding companies, but South Korea – in the midst of political turmoil – could be a different story.

“[South Korea is] undergoing a political trauma right now. It could very well end up with a hard leftist government, so I’m not sure that we can rely on South Korea at this moment. I hope that I’m wrong about that, but nonetheless, we’ve got to keep our eye on developments in Seoul,” he continued.

President Trump presented the plan for the shipbuilding office in his Tuesday night address to a joint session of Congress, detailing its creation as well as his plans to offer new tax incentives aimed at reinvigorating the U.S. shipbuilding sector.

China currently dominates the industry, accounting for more than half the world’s tonnage. China also boasts advantages in other areas, Chang said, including with technologies like hypersonic cruise missiles and rapidly-improving ships, though he believes the U.S. still boasts the “best military in the world.”

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Tensions continue to flare between the U.S. and China, particularly in light of Trump’s recently-imposed tariffs and the threat of more to come.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said, “If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”

Chang criticized the comments for showcasing the “unhinged” mentality of the Chinese regime.

The Trump administration is also reportedly drafting an executive order that includes 18 measures aimed at supporting U.S. shipbuilders, including raising fees on Chinese-built ships and cranes that enter the U.S.

Other provisions in the order include higher pay for workers at nuclear shipyards and a directive for the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to review procurement processes for the Navy and other agencies, The Wall Street Journal reported.

FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.