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Chinese Submarine Rescue Ship Spotted Near Japan, Heading to Russia
29 Jul
Summary
- Chinese naval vessel designed for submarine rescue spotted near Japan
- Vessel was en route to Russia during Russian naval drills in the Pacific
- China expanding its military presence beyond the first island chain
Last week, a Chinese naval vessel designed to rescue submarines in distress was spotted while transiting waters near Japan, a key U.S. ally in Northeast Asia, and was apparently en route to Russia.
The presence of the Chinese submarine rescue ship coincided with Russian naval drills that spanned the Northern Hemisphere, including the Pacific Ocean, from July 23-27. Japan, which forms part of the first island chain under a U.S. containment strategy aimed at limiting China's military activities in the Western Pacific, routinely reports Chinese aircraft and ships operating near its territory.
China, which operates the world's largest navy, has been expanding its military presence beyond the first island chain and into the second, formed in part by the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. In June, two Chinese aircraft carriers operated simultaneously in the broader Western Pacific, a sign of Beijing's maturing operations in what it calls the "far seas."
