News of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) Type 076 Sichuan amphibious assault ship highlights the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ambition to expand its sea power, experts said yesterday.
The Sichuan is likely equipped with cutting-edge military technology, which indicates increased PLAN capabilities, experts said.
Recent displays of new Chinese equipment were impressive and showed that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has achieved breakthroughs in its military industry capabilities, Institute for National Defense and Security Research fellow Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said.
Screen grab from YouTube
However, Su said that he considered such breakthroughs to be advances in design, and that the capabilities of such ships are unknown.
The ship highlighted a shift in China’s national strategy, he said, adding that Beijing wants to have a strong blue sea navy that would enable it to implement its “two oceans, three seas” strategy.
The strategy refers to China’s increased presence and capability to influence affairs in the Indian and Pacific oceans, the East China and South China seas, and the Taiwan Strait.
The Type 076 vessel can reconnoiter and launch ranged strikes simultaneously, Tamkang University Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies assistant professor Lin Ying-yu (林穎佑) said, adding that the ship shows that the PLAN is moving away from the traditional amphibious landing concept.
Reports of Chinese advances in technology are largely aimed at China’s citizens, as Taiwan would only use such information to bolster defenses and prepare countermeasures, Lin said.
Su said the PLA is capable of producing fighters such as the reported Chinese sixth-generation fighter, but he expected that the performance and life expectancy of its engines are at least a decade behind US’ fighter jets.
The recent release of photographs and reports on the sixth-generation fighter was aimed at placating internal strife, as morale of the Chinese military had taken a hit due to several high-level corruption cases, Su said.
The news about China’s military capabilities could backfire and cause the administration of US president-elect Donald Trump to step up its containment strategies against Beijing, he added.
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