China possesses numerous threatening warships including Type 055 destroyers and Type 039 submarines
Civilian ferries can also be used as transport ships... Equipped with automatic weapons and reinforced hulls
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] It has been confirmed that China has expanded not only its aircraft carriers but also advanced destroyers and submarines.
According to a CNN report on the 25th (local time), China is threatening U.S. maritime dominance by expanding its naval weapons and preparing to mobilize civilian vessels for military use.
The 13,000-ton 055-class missile destroyer, launched by China in 2017, is classified as a cruiser under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standards. The 055-class destroyer is equipped with stealth capabilities and 112 vertical launch systems capable of firing anti-air, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles.
Stealth capability refers to concealment technology that allows military weapons, such as aircraft or guided missiles, to evade all detection functions including radar, infrared detectors, and acoustic sensors. A cruiser is a "mid-sized multipurpose warship" that is smaller than an aircraft carrier or battleship but larger than a destroyer.
Timothy Heath, a senior researcher at the RAND Corporation, said in 2018 regarding China's launch of two 055-class ships, "The 055-class has sophisticated design, stealth features, radar, and a large number of missiles," adding that it is "larger and more powerful than most destroyers possessed by the U.S., Japan, and South Korea." According to the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS), China has launched or is constructing at least 10 055-class destroyers.
The 039-class diesel submarine, which produces low noise and is difficult to detect, is also considered a threat.
Unlike conventional diesel submarines, the 039-class is equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system that allows it to generate power while submerged, reducing the need to surface multiple times. This lowers the risk of detection by enemies when surfacing.
Former Navy Colonel Karl Schuster told CNN, "The 039-class submarines appear to provide significant defense capabilities in waters near China while also having the capacity to confront U.S. forces in more distant waters."
According to a U.S. Department of Defense congressional report last year, China possesses a total of 17 039-class submarines and plans to build 8 more within three years.
CNN also introduced ferries as a force not to be underestimated.
Unlike warships, ferries transport people, vehicles, and cargo. Their power lies in their potential role as "transport ships" for the Chinese navy.
To invade Taiwan, China would need to transport tens of thousands of troops and equipment, and currently, many U.S. government officials and military experts believe the Chinese navy lacks sufficient transport vessels.
However, China owns a large number of civilian ferries capable of rapid loading and unloading and convertible for military use. Some speculate that parts of these civilian ferries were designed for military purposes.
Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ships, which allow vehicles to load and unload cargo directly without using cranes, are also considered potential assets.
In 2017, the Chinese Navy's Liaoning aircraft carrier (center) during military exercises in the South China Sea. The Liaoning is classified as an aircraft carrier, not a civilian vessel. Photo by AFP, Yonhap News Agency
Thomas Shugart, a researcher at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), claimed in 2021, "China's largest ferry shipyard publicly disclosed in 2015 that it had built one of the largest RoRo ships for military use."
According to Shugart, civilian ferry companies operating near the Yellow Sea and South China Sea are regarded as auxiliary forces of the Chinese navy. The civilian vessels are three times larger in scale than all of China's amphibious assault ships combined (ships tasked with transporting troops and landing them ashore).
Moreover, China has organized a maritime militia by mobilizing civilian fishing boats. These forces prevent foreign vessels from entering disputed areas such as the South China Sea. The U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates that China's maritime militia consists of 122 to 174 vessels.
Meanwhile, China has recently conducted military activities in the Taiwan Strait, which connects the East China Sea and the South China Sea, engaging in military brinkmanship with the United States.
Currently, China claims that the Taiwan Strait is not an international waterway but its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
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