They demonstrated they can break out, now all they need is to figure out how to break back in. They have no tenable offshore base.
+1
And what’s the purpose of their breakout? To control the sea lanes, or to deny control to others. Denial being much easier to achieve than control.
The Pacific sea lanes are crucial from a economic standpoint, but no so much from a military one. This isn’t the 1970s or 80s when a successful Soviet breakout from the GIUK Gap would endanger our ability to do a REFORGER in the event of a general war.
These days the ChiComs need those sea lanes open much, if not more, than we do.
Bears repeating, in bold font. What are they going to do far from home, when blocked by allied forces in the Pacific? China is a long way from being a major naval threat.