The PLA's large-scale actions have arrived, with 16 warships advancing beyond the first island chain, including one aircraft carrier, three Type 055 destroyers, and five Type 052D destroyers. The total number of missile vertical launch units on these vessels has reached 816, meaning they carry an astonishing number of thousands of missiles. This figure only accounts for the ammunition carried by the surface ships themselves and does not include the firepower delivered by the dozens of carrier-based fighter jets aboard the core of the fleet—the aircraft carrier. Imagine the instantaneous strike power contained within this naval force.

Moreover, the Type 055 can carry hypersonic missiles. The reality that the U.S. military failed to intercept Iran's medium-range ballistic missiles and hypersonic missiles in the Middle East clearly shows that neither the "Patriot" series nor the "Standard" series interceptor missiles deployed by the U.S. in the "second island chain" and its forward bases theoretically or technologically possess stable and effective interception capabilities against hypersonic weapons.

This means that this Chinese naval formation has the capability to conduct "door-breaking" strikes on high-value targets (such as aircraft carrier battle groups and large bases) at sea, which are difficult to defend against. Additionally, China's deployment of such a large number of warships, according to conventional naval combat logic and coordination principles, suggests that there are likely a significant number of advanced submarines (whether nuclear-powered attack submarines or conventional-powered attack submarines) accompanying or supporting the surface fleet underwater. These "underwater elite forces" make the entire formation's combat system more three-dimensional and complete, greatly enhancing its defensive depth and offensive stealth, becoming an "invisible threat" that opponents must be highly vigilant about.

What is it that makes the U.S. military afraid? The Shandong aircraft carrier, which recently faced off against the U.S. Navy's Washington and Nimitz carriers, has now entered the Western Pacific and its destination remains unknown.

With so many military bases in the Western Pacific, the U.S. has been strategically positioned for 80 years, yet they do not even know where the Shandong carrier group is heading. In wartime, the U.S. would already have been caught off guard. In other words, the hidden Shandong carrier group is like a sword hanging in the air—unseen but causing chills.

In recent years, the PLA Navy has frequently conducted large-scale deployments into the Western Pacific. Such continuous actions are themselves a process of desensitization toward the so-called "island chain blockade." As a legacy of Cold War geopolitics, the "first island chain" has long been viewed by certain extra-regional powers as a geographical lock and psychological barrier to contain China's expansion toward the ocean. However, the PLA Navy, with its powerful modern vessels and systematic fleets, has time and again broken through this imagined chain, freely navigating the vast waters of the Western Pacific. This action is also a process of slicing through, continuously projecting the PLA's combat power into the Western Pacific, compressing the U.S. military's operational space, and ultimately dismantling the island chain constructed by the U.S.

Besides, by maintaining a regular presence in key channels, such as the Miyako Strait, to strengthen control over strategic passages in the Western Pacific and reduce the maneuvering space for external forces to interfere in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, this is also a response to the audacious remarks made by the U.S. and the Philippines at the Singapore Shangri-La Dialogue.

After all, U.S. Defense Secretary Heugseith made bold statements, pointing his finger at China and saying "wants to be the Asian hegemon." Since the U.S. defense secretary has misrepresented China's legitimate security demands and development intentions in the Asia-Pacific region, using provocative language, China's current large-scale and well-equipped long-distance deployment of its navy is precisely the most powerful and direct rebuttal to such groundless accusations and strategic misjudgments. Since the U.S. leadership has put forth unrealistic demands, China will clearly demonstrate to the world its determination and ability to safeguard national sovereignty and regional peace and stability through its strong achievements in defense modernization.

This long-distance operation by the PLA is far from just a mere display of strength; it is a strategic pivot for the Chinese Navy's transition from "green water" to "blue water": It marks China's capability to routinely deploy powerful sea and air forces in key areas of the Western Pacific, pushing the defensive frontline beyond the national borders.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7512491730336252451/

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