A senior US defense official claimed on Thursday that the new nuclear-powered attack submarine built by China sank earlier this year. The US official said this is an embarrassment for Beijing, which wants to expand its military capabilities. China already has the world’s largest navy, with more than 370 ships, and has begun production of a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines.
A senior US defense official told news agency Reuters on condition of anonymity that China’s new first-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank sometime between May and June. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the issue and said he had no information to share. The Chinese official said, ‘We are not familiar with the situation you have described and at the moment we have no information to give.’
Serious questions raised on the quality of Chinese equipment
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The US official said it was not clear what caused it to sink or whether it was carrying nuclear fuel at the time. “Apart from raising questions over training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defense industry – which has long been plagued by corruption,” the official said. It is not surprising that the Chinese Navy would try to hide the sinking of its nuclear submarine. This news was first published by the Wall Street Journal.
Planet Labs’ satellite photos revealed
Planet Labs has released a series of satellite photos taken in June, showing cranes at China’s Wuchang Shipyard. It is believed that the sinking nuclear submarine was docked in this shipyard. According to a report by the US Defense Department Pentagon, by 2022 China had six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, six nuclear-powered attack submarines and 48 diesel-powered attack submarines. China is working on a plan to increase the number of its submarines to 65 by 2025 and to 80 by 2035.
China tests intercontinental missile
Meanwhile, China said on Wednesday that it has successfully launched an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile in the Pacific Ocean. International concerns about China’s nuclear capabilities are likely to increase after this test. The US and China held theater-level commander talks for the first time earlier this month, amid efforts to stabilize military ties and avoid misunderstandings, especially in regional hot spots like the South China Sea.
