China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Xi attends commission of 3 new naval vessels
President emphasizes strategic importance of Navy’s development
President Xi Jinping witnessed the commissioning of three of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s latest vessels in Hainan province on Saturday.
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the commissioning ceremony at a naval base in Sanya and conferred military flags and naming certificates to commanders of the CNS Changzheng 18, the CNS Dalian and the CNS Hainan.
After the ceremony, the president boarded the Changzheng 18, the Dalian and the Hainan, talking with commanders and crew members and inspecting the equipment.
The Changzheng 18 is a Type 09IV-A nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, the Dalian is a Type 055 guided-missile destroyer and the Hainan is a Type 075 amphibious assault ship.
The Type 09IV-A is believed to be an upgraded variant of the Type 09IV, which is the second generation of the nation’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that replaced the old Type 09II. This class is regarded as the pillar of China’s sea-based nuclear deterrence system.
The Type 055 is the most powerful destroyer class in the PLA Navy. With a displacement of more than 12,000 metric tons, this class is equipped with new types of air defense, missile defense, and anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons.
The Type 075 is the country’s first class of amphibious assault ship. Chinese media have reported that each Type 075 is approximately 250 meters long, around 30 meters wide, and displaces nearly 40,000 tons. Such ships can carry helicopters and amphibious fighting vehicles to conduct amphibious operations.
The combined displacement of the vessels that were commissioned on Saturday is more than 60,000 tons. Displacement is a major indicator of the strength and capability of a navy because the bigger displacement means a larger fleet and a stronger weapon-carrying capacity.
The last time Xi attended the commissioning ceremony of a PLA Navy ship was in December 2019, when the CNS Shandong — the Navy’s second aircraft carrier and the first such ship wholly designed and built in the country — was delivered to the Navy at a base in Sanya.
In his capacity as commander in chief, Xi has repeatedly stressed that a strong nation must be one that cares about oceans and that a modern, powerful navy is an important symbol of a top-tier military. He also said the Navy’s development is strategically important and crucial to national interests and security.