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The Chinese military recently unveiled a new amphibious warship capable of projecting power from sea to shore during a training exercise in the South China Sea, coinciding with the 98th anniversary of its founding. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not provide further comment via email.
### Why It Matters
China operates the world’s largest navy by hull count, with over 370 ships and submarines, including amphibious vessels designed to carry helicopters and ground units for landing campaigns—assets well-suited for deployment in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. In the South China Sea, China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty overlap with those of other regional countries, including treaty ally Philippines, which has been warned by Beijing over a maritime collision.
### What To Know
On August 1, the Chinese military announced that its fourth Type 075 amphibious assault ship, CNS Hubei, made its debut during a training exercise in the South China Sea. Named after the province in central China and bearing hull number 34, the Hubei joins three sister ships already in service: CNS Hainan (hull number 31), CNS Guangxi (hull number 32), and CNS Anhui (hull number 33).
According to reports from China Central Television, the Hubei and Hainan formed a naval task group alongside four other vessels for training exercises in recent days. The domestically built 40,000-ton Type 075 amphibious warship supports simultaneous helicopter takeoffs and landings and can carry air-cushioned landing craft, tanks, and armored vehicles.
### What People Are Saying
The U.S. Defense Department’s report on Chinese military power states that the PLA Navy’s expanding fleet of large modern amphibious warships enables it to conduct a wide range of expeditionary operations wherever China’s interests are threatened or in support of internationally sanctioned operations.
Chinese military affairs expert Song Zhongping told China’s Global Times, “Having four Type 075 amphibious assault ships shows the increasing amphibious combat capabilities of the PLA Navy, which is determined by the demands on defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as safeguarding national security.”
### What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether China will construct additional Type 075 amphibious assault ships or shift its focus to building the more advanced Type 076 amphibious assault ship.
