Opinion | How China’s growing PLA Navy could close a perception gap in the South China Sea
- Collin Koh writes that a political solution is the way to win trust in the disputed maritime region as China’s naval force grows more powerful and modern.
As the PLA Navy stands poised to celebrate its 70th anniversary, there is much to be happy about, especially where capability modernisation is concerned.
The navy by 2000 had mustered a total of 57 submarines, only six of which were built in the 1990s and could have been considered modern and up-to-date. The same applied to only four of the total of 20 destroyers and frigates in the navy’s fleet at the time.
Fast forward to today’s PLA Navy. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies’ 2019 assessment of global military capabilities and defence economics, 51 of China’s 59 submarines are viewed as modern and up-to-date. Meanwhile, 67 of its 86 destroyers and frigates – mostly commissioned in recent years – are top-of-the-line.
There is also a functional aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which has served mainly as a training and test-bed carrier since 2012.
More of these powerful major surface combat ships are coming on line – supported by an equally impressive, if not always well-publicised, growing logistics support force. The increase in fleet replenishment ships to 11 from just three back in 2000 clearly signals an expanding blue-water capability.
The “mosquito fleet” of torpedo and missile fast attack craft – once the navy’s backbone, focused primarily on coastal defence and support for ground forces – has shrunk significantly over almost two decades.