Beijing, 27 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - China has continued to expand its navy by introducing a new generation amphibious assault ship.

Named after the south-western province, the Sichuan is the first ship of the new generation Type 076, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

The warship, launched in the eastern Chinese port city Shanghai, is to play a "key role" in the transformation of the navy and the enhancement of its combat capability, Xinhua cited navy officials as saying.

Experts have been observing the construction of the Sichuan for some time.

In August, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) described the ship as the world's largest amphibious assault ship based on satellite images.

Unlike aircraft carriers, these ships are also equipped with landing boats, allowing soldiers and equipment to reach coastlines.

A special feature is the still rarely installed electromagnetic aircraft catapult, enabling the Sichuan to carry not only helicopters but also fighter jets. The catapult allows for higher efficiency and faster launch speeds, according to a military expert quoted in the state-run newspaper Global Times.

China possesses one of the largest navies in the world and already has three smaller amphibious assault ships of the previous Type 075.

According to the CSIS, while the Sichuan will not fundamentally change the military balance in the Indo-Pacific, it does provide the People's Liberation Army with further opportunities to project its combat power in the Western Pacific and the South China Sea.

In these regions, China has already threatened its neighbour Taiwan with an invasion and claims parts of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines for itself.

Photo: X