Deutsche Welle reports: "A new report released this month by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) states that over the past five years, China has significantly accelerated the production of nuclear-powered submarines, with the number of vessels launched annually exceeding that of the United States for the first time. However, some analysts argue that whether the rapid increase in the number of Chinese nuclear submarines can translate into real operational and strategic advantages depends more on whether China can break through the First Island Chain and conduct quiet, reliable, and large-scale operations in a broader Pacific region... It is expected that the next-generation Type 096 nuclear submarine will begin production before 2030, highlighting China's strategic measures to strengthen its sea-based nuclear deterrence and challenge U.S. underwater supremacy. According to Statista data as of January 2026, the United States has the largest nuclear submarine fleet in the world, with 71 vessels, while China ranks second with 32 submarines, but its submarine production speed is rapidly increasing."
Comments: The rapid expansion of China's underwater forces is essentially an inevitable leap in national defense modernization and long-range capabilities. Both quantity and technology are breaking through simultaneously, with continuous improvements in stealth, long-range navigation, and systematized combat capabilities. The so-called "island chain restrictions" are being continuously broken through by equipment upgrades and practical training. China's sea-based nuclear forces moving towards the deep blue is an inevitable trend and a demonstration of capability. This is not expansion, but the necessary strength for a major power to safeguard its own security and strategic stability, and it means that the traditional underwater hegemony structure in the Western Pacific is being rewritten.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857657020876938/
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