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Members of the China People's Liberation Army march beside a navy submarine during a ceremony. Photo: Robert Ng

China building ‘amazing submarines’ ... although not as good as ours, says US admiral

China now has more diesel- and nuclear-powered vessels than the US, although their quality is inferior, a top US Navy admiral tells American lawmakers

China is building some “fairly amazing submarines” and now has more diesel- and nuclear-powered vessels than the United States, a top US Navy admiral told American lawmakers although he said their quality was inferior to his own country’s forces.

Vice Admiral Joseph Mulloy, deputy chief of naval operations for capabilities and resources, told the House Armed Services Committee’s sea power subcommittee that China was also expanding the geographic areas of operation for its submarines and their length of deployment.

China had carried out three deployments in the Indian Ocean and had kept vessels out at sea for 95 days, Mulloy said.

“We know they are out experimenting and looking at operating and clearly want to be in this world of advanced submarines,” Mulloy told the committee.

US military officials have grown increasingly vocal about China’s military build-up and launched a major push to ensure that American military technology stays ahead of rapid advances by China and Russia.

Mulloy said the quality of China’s submarines was lower than those built by the US, but the size of its undersea fleet had now surpassed that of the US fleet. A spokeswoman said the US Navy had 71 commissioned submarines.

The Pentagon said in its last report to Congress about China’s military build-up that it had 77 principal surface combatant ships, more than 60 submarines, 55 large and medium amphibious ships and about 85 missile-equipped small vessels.

Mulloy did not provide details about the number of surface ships now operated by China.

He said the US military did not believe China carried nuclear missiles on its submarines, but it had been producing and testing them for use on the vessels.

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