Chinese navy takes delivery of new stealth frigate

China’s navy has taken delivery of a new type of stealth frigate that is expected to bolster the country’s maritime defences amid territorial disputes, state media reported on Tuesday.

The ship, identified by the official Xinhua news agency as a “Type 056 stealth frigate”, was delivered to the navy on Monday afternoon in a ceremony in Shanghai.

Navy commander Wu Shengli emphasised the importance of mastering its equipment and capabilities amid ongoing maritime disputes, according to a front-page article on Tuesday in the PLA Daily newspaper, published by the People’s Liberation Army.

Wu, also a member of the Communist Party’s powerful Central Military Commission, called for continuous improvement and growth of an elite naval force capable of fighting and winning so as to reassure Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other members of the commission.

In January state media reported that the armed forces were instructed to raise their fighting ability this year and “focus closely on the objective of being able to fight and win battle”.

President Hu Jintao, set to step down next month and be replaced by Xi, said in November at a Communist Party congress that China should become a “maritime power”.