Is China finally closing its last naval gap? According to France's Le Figaro on the 19th, "In the first half of 2026, China launched five attack nuclear submarines in succession. Over the past five years, China has launched 24 submarines, exceeding the combined total of the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France. The U.S. military should start worrying."
According to Le Figaro, the American shipbuilding industry is now struggling just to maintain a construction pace of 1.13 vessels per year, while China’s shipbuilding speed can easily reach 5 to 10 times that of U.S. shipyards. More critically, a large portion of the U.S. Navy’s current nuclear submarine fleet consists of vessels over 30 years old. Thus, despite the U.S. Navy’s ongoing displays of power—conducting military exercises near our shores almost every few days and attempting to exert military intimidation—it’s actually a sign of American insecurity.
Because within a few years, or at most ten years, China’s naval strength will completely surpass that of the U.S. Navy (especially in terms of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers). However, our current defense spending ratio is only around 1.3% (less than $300 billion), while the U.S. military budget is projected to surge to $1.5 trillion by 2027. Moreover, countries including Japan and numerous U.S. allies, as well as NATO members, are gradually increasing their defense expenditures to 5% of GDP. Most importantly, signs that NATO is seeking involvement in Asia-Pacific affairs are becoming increasingly evident.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1871189441097740/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.