The episode occurred in a context where they seek to expand their maritime power and where tensions have increased due to the case of Taiwan.
New nuclear-powered attack submarine China sank between the end of May and the beginning of June 2024, in an episode concealed by the authorities of Xi Jinping’s government.
This is what US officials said The Wall Street Journal a newspaper which also had access to satellite images that reflect the situation .
The sinking of the submarine This happened at a shipyard near Wuhan, amid a scenario in which Beijing seeks to expand its operations. maritime power and during which they conducted various military exercises in the South China Sea.
The latter has increased tensions in the region, as The Chinese government claims that Taiwan It’s part of their territory which is rejected by local authorities.
Although the United States does not consider it an independent state, it maintains informal ties with its leaders and leaders. President Joe Biden has said the country will defend Taiwan in the event of an offensive. Chinese forces.
From Beijing, they declared that the objective of increasing their military capabilities was deter attacks and protect their interests .
Even as China’s displays of power have put the United States and its allies on alert, the sinking of the new nuclear submarine is presumed delayed its military modernization .
Why the sinking of the Chinese nuclear submarine matters
US officials have stated that They do not know if the submarine was carrying nuclear fuel when it sank. .
However, experts outside the government told the Journal that it’s likely .
China’s new nuclear-powered attack submarine This is relevant because it is part of its program to strengthen its maritime power. .
Production was mainly focused on the city of Huludao. However, now They focus on manufacturing units of this type at the Wuchang Shipyard, located near Wuhan. .
A Pentagon report released in 2023 warned that China had 48 diesel-powered attack submarines and six nuclear-powered attack submarines at the end of 2022. .
As noted in the document, the Asian country’s interest in developing new attack submarines, surface ships and naval aircraft is Countering the efforts of the United States and its allies in the event of conflict over Taiwan .
This, in addition to achieve “maritime superiority” .
The Zhou-class submarine that sank This is the first of a new type of these military vehicles, designed to be more maneuverable. .
It was built by the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corp. And, Earlier, in late May, he was seen next to a pier on the Yangtze River. .
At that time, was installed for the last time .
Satellite images revealed that in early June, After the shipwreck, floating cranes arrived to rescue it .
How Chinese authorities reacted after the sinking of the submarine
When the Journal consulted a Chinese embassy spokesperson about this episode, he did not respond to request for comment .
In the same way, Neither the People’s Liberation Army nor local authorities have recognized the situation publicly.
How the sinking of its new nuclear-powered submarine affects China
The lead researcher of the expert group Heritage Foundation Brent Sadler, said that “the sinking of the nuclear submarine manufactured in a new shipyard will delay China’s plans to increase its nuclear submarine fleet “.
“It’s significant” underlined the specialist to the aforementioned newspaper.
For his part, a senior American defense official declared that “it is not surprising that the PLA Navy tries to hide the fact that its new nuclear-powered attack submarine, the first of its class, sank at dock.
“Besides the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, The incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight. of China’s defense industry, which has long been plagued by corruption,” he charged.
The former US submarine officer and think tank member Center for a New American Security (CNAS), Thomas Shugart, had warned before the sinking was reported that there was unusual floating crane activity in the area .
It has come to this point after examining satellite images .
At the time, suggested that this could be an incident related to a new type of submarine, but I didn’t know it was nuclear powered.
Referring to the procedure followed by Chinese military authorities, he said: “Can you imagine if a US nuclear submarine sank in San Diego and the government silenced it and didn’t tell anyone? I mean, oh my God!
Shugart commented that if the submarine was rescued effectively, It may take several months before you can operate again. .
“All the electronic components would have to be cleaned. Electric motors may need to be replaced. It would be a lot of work “.
US officials have stated that They have no indication that Chinese authorities took water samples for radiation. .
Along with this, they stated that They don’t know if there were any injuries or deaths. following the shipwreck.
But China is not the only power who has been confronted with situations of this type.
Previously, in May 1969, the American nuclear-powered ship USS Guitarro sunk in a California shipyard because those responsible made mistakes.
SO, It took over two years to officially return it to service.
Source: Latercera
I am Robert Harris and I specialize in news media. My experience has been focused on sports journalism, particularly within the Rugby sector. I have written for various news websites in the past and currently work as an author for Athletistic, covering all things related to Rugby news.
