[Gort]

Incredible. Read this ...

Chinese build secret nuclear submarine base - Telegraph

[Paladin18]

Thanks for the article Gort.

Yes, I have to admit that the scale of the project is quite incredible, but this is going to happen sometime.

Hainan island is strategically located, well within supporting reach of Taiwan Straits - the most likely theatre of major miliatary operations. At the same time, it is also within striking distance of the Spratlys Archipelago and the South China Sea where China has contesting territorial claims against a host of countries - Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei. If more justification is needed, Hainan straddles major commercial searoutes between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia/South Pacific, thereby giving China a strategic leverage against the major powers. All this make perfect sense for China to build a naval/submarine base on Hainan island.

In fact, the PLN is undergoing a rapid expansion plan since the turn of the millennium, especially in the construction of frigates, destroyers, FACs and subs, and in the development of its amphibious capabilities. What irks people in our part of the world is China's opaqueness about its plans. If China can sustain its phenomenal economic growth rates, more ambitious military expansion plans are envisaged.

Paladin18

[Shawn 507]

The west probably has a sub patrolling and observing just outside its berth. The Chinese have no blue water Navy history, so no need to worry just yet.

[Epapazian]

Yes, but what about those secret Chinese diecast factories-----that's what I care about.

[mikeb1958]

Great...how about instead of the Chinese building real 'dangerous' subs and aircraft, they go back to building diecasts.