China, which has begun supplying Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles for military testing, is building new warships at a staggering pace and is facing facing serious problems with corruption. At the center of this process is the shipbuilding industry, writes Business Insider, quoted by FOCUS.
As the publication points out, despite strengths in naval modernization, such as a developed commercial sector and many shipyards across the country, China's vast "shipbuilding empire" is facing challenges such as corruption and many unresolved questions about future demands and the ability of Chinese shipyards to meet those demands.
In the past year, more than a dozen senior generals and heads of the military-industrial complex in the Chinese army and defense industry have been removed from their posts, including two defense ministers, the material cited by UNIAN states.
According to journalists, shipbuilding in China is a colossal industry with a capacity that, according to the US Naval Intelligence Service, is 230 times that of the US. Business Insider points out that China accounts for about 50% of the world's total shipbuilding capacity, noting that China's new Fujian aircraft carrier, for example, has demonstrated a significant technological leap over its predecessors. It is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult for more efficient launching of heavy and high-performance aircraft.
The first landing ship of the "Yulan" (type 076) is distinguished by its dimensions. When completed, it will be the world's largest amphibious assault ship and will likely be used as an aircraft carrier, experts say.
By 2030, the Pentagon expects China's People's Liberation Army Navy, already the largest in the world, to have 435 warships, with a significant increase in the number of large surface ships.
The media claims that China has begun expanding the recently renovated "Jiannan" on Changxing Island, merging it with the "Hudong-Zhonghua" shipyard.
Brian Hart, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider that it's a massive and impressive undertaking:
"I don't think any other country has the scale and resources to just pick up and move such a huge industrial base.
China is actively moving towards the goal of becoming a military superpower, and it is clear that a strong navy is a key element on the way to achieving this goal, BI journalists emphasize.
A senior researcher at CSIS's China Power Project states: "There is a lot of potential in China right now: "China is a very different player when it comes to military shipbuilding.''
Source: www.focus-news.net