China launches two new Type 052D destroyers as it continues drive to strengthen naval force
- Advanced warships will boost PLA Navy’s operational capabilities but its focus may soon shift to improving training and logistics
- Two new warships were launched at the Dalian shipyard in northeast China last Friday
China has launched two new Type 052D guided-missile destroyers as it continues its push to upgrade its naval power.
However, some analysts now believe that the pace of shipbuilding will slow as the People’s Liberation Army starts to place more emphasis on training and personnel.
The two new warships were launched at the Dalian shipyard in northeast China last Friday, the state-run newspaper Global Times reported.
“China now has 20 Type 052Ds either in active service or being fitted out for service soon,” the report said, adding that the vessels are a significant upgrade on their predecessors, the Type 052C.
The Dalian Shipyard, which is run by the state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, also built the Type 055 destroyers that have been hailed as the most advanced ships of their type in Asia.