A researcher tied to one of China‘s top economic planning bodies is pushing Beijing to move faster on plans that would let the military commandeer civilian ships during wartime, pointing to how Britain used its merchant fleet during the 1982 Falklands War as a model worth studying.

Li Jin, who works at the Research Centre for Coordinated Economic and National Defence Development under the National Development and Reform Commission, laid out the argument in an article published last month in Defence Industry Conversion in China, according to the South China Morning Post.

Li pointed to Britain’s experience during the Falklands conflict as proof of concept. Within just days of the war breaking out, the British government pulled dozens of civilian ships into service, using them to move aircraft, fuel and other supplies, along with handling medical and support duties. Li argued that this episode demonstrated four key ingredients for success: a large pool of available civilian vessels, detailed plans for mobilizing them, ships built with military needs already in mind, and a system of compensation and incentives to keep everyone on board.

To get there, Li proposed that China conduct a sweeping survey of its massive civilian shipping fleet and build a detailed database covering speed, cargo capacity, ownership records and crew qualifications. Special attention, Li wrote, should go toward vessels with obvious military potential, such as oil tankers and semi-submersible ships.

Li also pushed for more frequent drills testing these dual-use logistics plans in practice. As an example of what’s already possible, the article referenced a 2018 case where China’s air force used a 10,000 tonne passenger and cargo ship to move an entire military unit, complete with equipment, more than 1,000 nautical miles from a base in the north to a port on the southeastern coast.

To make this system work in practice, Li called on authorities to sweeten the deal for the companies and workers involved, suggesting better subsidies, compensation, tax breaks and rewards tied to participation in mobilization efforts. The publication itself falls under China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

That discovery sparked debate among analysts over whether modular military technology could eventually turn ordinary merchant ships into actual combat platforms during a conflict, rather than limiting their role to transport and logistical support.