China adds 5 advanced destroyers in naval buildup pressuring Taiwan

Dalian shipyard construction the latest sign of rapid expansion in sea capabilities

20220828N Dalian shipyard

An apparent naval vessel under construction at the Dalian shipyard. (Photo obtained by Nikkei)

TSUKASA HADANO and SHIN WATANABE, Nikkei staff writers

BEIJING/DALIAN, China -- China is stepping up the expansion of its naval capabilities, with five guided-missile destroyers under construction in Dalian.

A user on Weibo, a Twitter-style microblogging site, recently posted a photo of the five unfinished vessels, with the Communist Party-linked Global Times identifying them as Type 052D destroyers. At least two vessels "resemble 052DL ships," the South China Morning Post reported, referring to a variant with "extended helicopter decks in the back."

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