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China's Naval Expansion: Growing Fleet Requires Expanded Naval Bases

Recent satellite imagery analysis conducted by the South China Morning Post reveals that China is intensifying its efforts to expand naval bases to accommodate and support its growing combat fleet. As the second-largest navy in the world, behind only the United States, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is expected to launch at least 10 surface warships by the end of this year. This includes eight Type 052D destroyers and two larger and faster Type 054B frigates, with a total displacement of 72,000 tons.


Expanding Fleet:

These new warships will join China's two active aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, with a combined displacement of 120,000 tons, as well as eight Type 055 cruisers with a displacement of nearly 100,000 tons. Additionally, China has three Type 075 amphibious assault ships, capable of helicopter operations, and nine Type 071 dock landing ships. It is projected that the total number of active Chinese naval vessels will exceed 600 this year, triple the number from the past two decades.


Challenges of Infrastructure Development:

While the scale of the Chinese navy is rapidly increasing, the construction progress of new naval bases is struggling to keep up with the pace of shipbuilding. Google Earth and satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies reveal the ongoing construction projects at three Chinese naval bases. Two large piers are being built at the Yulin naval base in Sanya, Hainan, with berths over 240 meters long, capable of accommodating four Type 075 amphibious assault ships.


Lü Lishi, former captain of the Republic of China Navy's new Jiangkai-class frigate and instructor at the Naval Academy, notes the interesting mooring method currently used at the Yulin base. It involves positioning the ship perpendicular to the dock, with the stern parallel to it. This mixed anchoring, floating, and docking method has been used for centuries in the Mediterranean region to accommodate a large number of vessels within town harbors or breakwaters.


Lü also highlights another space-saving berthing method used at the Zhenjiang naval base in southern Guangdong province, where at least three vessels are moored side by side along a small dock. This parallel berthing method is commonly employed by many navies as it offers stability and facilitates resupply operations. However, the close proximity of multiple vessels raises safety concerns regarding shore power connections and maintenance operations.


Diverse Approaches to Naval Basing:

Beijing naval expert Li Jie mentions that the Russian Navy often employs a different approach called "upright" Mediterranean-style mooring, where an entire strike fleet is berthed in a limited space, allowing for immediate response to emergency missions. However, this method is considered less safe due to the risk of unstable weather conditions. Ultimately, constructing larger docks is a more sustainable solution.


Strategic Importance of Naval Bases:

The Yulin and Zhenjiang bases, located strategically for access to the South China Sea, serve as vital strongholds for the PLA Navy. They are also the main bases for resupplying and maintaining China's long-range fleet, which conducts anti-piracy escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. Furthermore, shipbuilding facilities in Huludao, Liaoning Province, and submarine yards in the Bohai Sea are undergoing expansion.


Need for Enhanced Naval Infrastructure:

Beijing military expert Zhou Chenming emphasizes that compared to launching ships, expanding and improving naval bases is a more complex and time-consuming process. Given China's increasing involvement in international peacekeeping missions, establishing overseas logistical support points becomes necessary. While the United States has over 750 military bases in more than 80 countries worldwide, China's presence in Djibouti and potentially other countries focuses mainly on logistics, resupply, and repair capabilities.


China's rapid naval expansion necessitates the development of larger and more advanced naval bases. The ongoing efforts to expand existing bases and establish overseas logistical support points highlight China's commitment to enhancing its naval capabilities and supporting its growing fleet. As tensions persist in the Indo-Pacific region, the expansion of Chinese naval infrastructure will continue to shape the regional security dynamics and the broader competition between China and other maritime powers.

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