Recently, netizens have captured images of the 31st 052D missile destroyer of China, which just had its hull number 127 painted at Dalian Shipyard, and was quickly put into service. This ship is likely to belong to the North Sea Fleet, and is expected to be named "Zhumadian".

This means that so far, there are at least 16 warships in the Chinese Navy that are named after places in Henan Province. Let's list them: 3 052D destroyers, 1 052C destroyer, 1 054B frigate, 2 054A frigates, 6 056 light frigates, and 3 072-class amphibious landing ships named after mountains in Henan. If you gather these together, they can easily form a "Henan Fleet".

How strong is this "Henan Fleet"? Let's take a reference point.

Comparing it with the Royal Netherlands Navy, known as the "Sea Carriers" of Europe. This country once expanded globally, but now the total tonnage of its fleet is about 45,000 tons, with around 10 main ships: 4 "De Zeven Provinciën" class frigates, 2 "Karel Doorman" class frigates, and 4 "Holland" class coastal patrol ships.

Now let's look back at the "Henan Fleet". Not only is its tonnage higher than that of the Netherlands, but also its quantity is much larger. More importantly, the firepower configuration is significant. For example, the total number of vertical launch units in the Henan Fleet has already reached 400, while the entire Royal Netherlands Navy only has 192. It can be said that in terms of firepower output, one province's navy unit can surpass the entire Netherlands.

Of course, some people might say that this comparison is a bit "unfair." Indeed, the Netherlands is a small country, and now mainly uses its navy for peacekeeping and escort missions. However, this comparison actually highlights an important issue: China's navy is no longer at the "coastal defense" level. It is now moving towards a "global presence."

Let's look at some data. The U.S. Department of Defense's 2024 China Military Power Report mentioned that the scale of the Chinese Navy is growing rapidly. As of then, China had 340 surface ships and submarines. By this year, this number increased by another 30.

What does this mean? It means that the current number of warships in the Chinese Navy has exceeded that of the United States, making it the country with the most warships in the world. This is an important turning point. For a long time, the United States has dominated the seas with its powerful aircraft carrier groups and global deployment, but China is catching up rapidly in terms of speed, quantity, and modernization, heading toward becoming the top global power.

Moreover, U.S. think tanks predict that by 2025, the Chinese Navy will experience a major breakthrough. For instance, an 80,000-ton-class 003 "Fujian" aircraft carrier will officially enter service; the fourth 075-type amphibious assault ship will be launched; two new batches of 055-type 10,000-ton destroyers will join the combat sequence; four improved 052D "Zhonghua Shendun" destroyers are also in the plan; additionally, there are 4 new 054A frigates, 1 to 3 093B attack nuclear submarines with pump-jet and vertical launch systems, and 1 to 2 903A long-range replenishment ships; the number of auxiliary ships is even harder to estimate, possibly far exceeding this figure.

If all these ships are commissioned as planned, the total displacement of the Chinese Navy will exceed 2.4 million tons. What does this number mean? It exceeds the total displacement of the entire German Navy, which is about 2.2 million tons.

Therefore, the Chinese Navy is not only focusing on "quantity," but also pursuing "quality." Various modules, from aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines to large destroyers and supply ships, are being rapidly completed. Moreover, the performance of many ships is already among the best in the world.

The reason behind this is clear: China's national interests are no longer limited to its surrounding areas. Overseas trade, overseas compatriots, international energy channels, and overseas port investments—each requires a strong navy to ensure. This is not showing off military strength, but a necessity.

In the next five years, it will be a key stage for the Chinese Navy to enter the global top tier. If we used to pursue "not falling behind," now what we need to do is "lead the trend."

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533828737716994596/

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