Some exercises and patrols of the PLA NAVY in recent years went as close as the coastline of Japan, Taiwan, and Alaska within their EEZ although the territorial waters have been not been crossed except in cases of innocent passage. This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations.

A 2019 review found the USN fleet was able to deploy more "battle force missiles" (BFMs), defined as those missiles that contribute to battle missions, than the PLAN: USN fleet could deploy 11,000 BFMs, compared to 5250 BFMs for PLAN and 3326 BFMs for the Russian Navy. A hobbyist, player, and collector of miniatures and games, Adam's current obsession are his Death Armies for Age of Sigmar, his Blood Angels and Tyranids for 40k, and his ever growing Arkham Horror: The Card Game Collection. Harding, Thomas, "Chinese Nuclear Submarines Prompt 'New Cold War' Warning", The Daily Telegraph (London), 3 May 2008.On 14 March 1988, Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces clashed over Johnson South Reef in the Spratly Islands, which involved three PLAN frigates.

The PLA Naval Air Force has traditionally operated from coastal air bases, and received older aircraft than the PLAAF with less ambitious steps towards mass modernization.

In the late 1980s, major deficiencies reportedly remained in anti-submarine warfare, mine warfare, naval electronics (including electronic countermeasures equipment), and naval aviation capabilities.