evidence: China has the biggest maritime force on the globe with an inventory of about 355 vessels, according to a Defense Department report released Wednesday. With 355 ships in its fleet, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is slated to expand its inventory to 420 ships within the next four years, the Pentagon’s annual China military report estimates. By 2030, the PLAN is expected to have 460 ships. [...] The Pentagon report estimates that China will maintain an inventory of 65 to 70 boats in the next decade and swap its aging submarines for newer ones "on a near one-to-one-basis."