New | China completes world's longest aircraft carrier dock in Sanya
Infrastructure is the longest of its kind in the world and a second for China's military
China has put the finishing touches to the world's longest aircraft carrier dock at its massive naval complex in Sanya on the southern island province of Hainan, according to a military source and a regional defence magazine.
The 700 metre-long dock was the People's Liberation Army Navy's second aircraft carrier base, Canada-based Kanwa Asian Defence reported, adding that the facility could service carriers on both sides of the dock at the same time.
The carrier base was connected to the navy's Yulin nuclear submarine base, making the naval complex the biggest of its kind in Asia, the magazine said.
Yulin is also the largest submarine base in Asia.
By comparison, the docks of the US Navy's aircraft carrier bases at Yokosuka in Japan and Norfolk in Virginia were between 400 metres and 430 metres long, the report said.
Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said the Yokosuka and Norfolk bases had more than two docks each while the Sanya facility so far had just a single carrier dock.
"There might need to be more construction work at the Sanya carrier base to develop it further [to cater to other vessels]. So far it is just able to accommodate two-way rapid replenishment for two aircraft carriers," Li said.