China appears to be advancing its naval capabilities with the construction of a land-based prototype nuclear reactor intended for a large warship, according to an analysis of satellite images and Chinese government documents. This development, which suggests that Beijing is moving towards producing its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, underscores the rapid modernization of China’s already vast navy. With the addition of nuclear-powered carriers, China would take a significant step toward achieving a global naval force capable of competing with the United States.
A nuclear-powered carrier would place China among the elite ranks of naval powers, which currently include only the United States and France, as noted by Tong Zhao, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This advancement also represents a point of national pride, potentially fueling domestic support and nationalism within China.
This revelation was brought to light by researchers from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, who analyzed a remote mountainous location near Leshan in southwestern China. Initially, it was suspected that China might be developing a reactor for producing plutonium or tritium for nuclear weapons. However, further analysis led researchers to conclude that the site is focused on creating a prototype reactor specifically for a large naval vessel.
The reactor is housed within a new facility known as Base 909, which also contains six other reactors at various stages of operation, decommissioning, or construction. Managed by the Nuclear Power Institute of China, a branch of the China National Nuclear Corporation, the facility is dedicated to reactor engineering research and testing. Evidence from contracts detailing steam generator and turbine pump production suggests that the project involves a pressurized water reactor with a secondary circuit, a design that aligns with typical naval propulsion reactors.
This development coincides with China’s continuous expansion of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which, with over 370 ships and submarines, has become the world’s largest fleet by numbers. However, the PLAN still lags behind the United States in certain capabilities. The U.S. Navy, with eleven nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, can maintain global strike groups at all times, a level of reach China has not yet matched.
The Pentagon has voiced growing concerns over China’s fleet modernization, citing China’s increased focus on maritime power and the rising strategic significance it places on naval strength. China’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministries have not responded to requests for comment on this development.
Source: AP
