Beijing, Jan 2: The Chinese navy has commissioned a new “upgraded” missile destroyer as it’s expanding its fleet at a breakneck speed to catch up with the US naval strength.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has commissioned a new Type 052D guided missile destroyer named Loudi, which features upgraded radar, weapon and network systems, official media here reported on Friday.
Zhang Shengwei, a crew member of the Loudi, was quoted by state-run Global Times as saying that the new-type warship adopts a new system and architecture, giving it enhanced combat capabilities in air defence, sea attack and task force command.
The Loudi can not only conduct long-range assault and strike missions against its targets, but also defend friendly ships in defensive missions, Zhang said.
Observers say the new ship’s addition highlights the feverish pitch at which the Chinese navy is expanding its fleet, adding a ship a month.
According to a recent BBC report, the Chinese navy has emerged as the world’s largest, operating 234 warships compared to the US Navy’s 219 ships.
Between 2019 and 2023, China’s four largest shipyards – Dalian, Guangzhou, Jiangnan and Hudong-Zhonghua – produced 39 warships with a combined displacement of 550,000 tonnes, according to a study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
With the addition of Loudi, the Chinese navy has added 11 combat vessels, including the aircraft carrier Fujian, in 2025.
In addition to building its own fleet, China is supplying modern naval ships and submarines to its all-weather ally Pakistan.
Last month, China launched a fourth Hangor-class submarine, named Ghazi, for Pakistan. It is the second Pakistani submarine to be named after Ghazi. The first one was blown up near the Visakhapatnam port during the 1971 war with India.
Pakistan has signed an agreement with China for the acquisition of eight Hangor-class submarines. The first three were launched earlier. (PTI)
