The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park, Feb. 2, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (Kiichiro Sato/AP)
(Bloomberg) -- China launched the first of its next-generation amphibious assault ships, as the Chinese navy ramps up capabilities amid growing territorial tensions.
The Type 076 vessel, named Sichuan, entered the water at a ceremony in Shanghai on Friday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. It was independently developed and will enhance China’s combat capabilities far from its shores, the report said.
The vessel, described as the world’s largest amphibious assault ship by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, brings more air power to China’s navy as the Asian nation confronts flash points in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait. It will undergo tests and sea trials after the launch, according to Xinhua.
The Sichuan is an upgrade from the three Type 075 ships currently operated by the People’s Liberation Army. It features an electromagnetic catapult system, seen also on the latest Fujian aircraft carrier, that allows it to carry fixed-wing aircraft and expand the use of drones increasingly seen as crucial in modern warfare.
The launch of the Sichuan shows the Chinese military made technological progress despite persistent corruption in the PLA, as reflected in an anti-graft campaign sweeping through the PLA since last summer.
The drive has expanded within the military after originally focusing on its equipment procurement unit and the secretive Rocket Force. This week, a navy commander of the Southern Theater was purged for suspected violations of law and discipline, which usually means corruption, following the removal of his predecessor a year ago.
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