After Chinese fighter jets penetrated Taiwan’s ADIZs, Tsai Yingwen’s statement that US military advisers were in Taiwan and that 40 Taiwanese Marines were training with the US Marines in Guam in homeopathic doses, China allegedly tested a hypersonic weapon that makes the US Missile Defense obsolete (US Chief of Staff Milley spoke of a „Sputnik moment“) and reports are circulating about Chinese preperations to lift their  ICBMs to the US and Russian numbers, the Global Time denies this, questions the hypersonic weapon and ICBM story. And makes a world peace narrative that the US only would use its nuclear weapons to control the world and support its hegemony, while Chinese ICBMs were only for national defense and not for pushing the USA out of the Indo-Pacific or its own offensive goal to become the new world power:

“New Pentagon report hypes ‚Chinese nuclear threat‘ to serve US hegemonic goals

Nuclear defense force growth needed to deter US threat: experts

By

Liu Xuanzun

and Guo Yuandan Published: Nov 04, 2021 11:42 PM

The US Defense Department on Wednesday released its annual report on China’s military development, which again hyped the „China threat theory,“ and discussed China’s nuclear arsenal, claiming that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is expanding its nuclear force much faster than the US had predicted, and that it may have 1,000 nuclear warheads by the end of the decade and surpass US global influence by the middle of the 21st century.

Serving the US‘ own hegemonic goals, the Pentagon’s speculative report aims to contain China’s rightful national defense development at a time when the US is showing huge strategic malice against China by dragging it to unfair arms talks, and creates excuses to further strengthen its nuclear capability, Chinese experts said on Thursday.

Unlike the US, China will not use, or threaten to use, nuclear weapons on anyone as long as it is not attacked by a nuclear weapon first, experts said.

Titled „Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2021,“ the annual Pentagon report to the US Congress claims that the number of Chinese nuclear warheads could rise to 700 within six years, and may top 1,000 by 2030, AP reported on Wednesday.

China may already have established what is known as a nuclear triad — the combination of land-, sea-, and air-based missiles — by adding an air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM), AP cited the report as saying.

The report also asserted that China has begun constructing at least three new missile fields that „cumulatively contain hundreds“ of underground silos from which intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) could be launched, AP reported.

In response to the Pentagon report, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular press conference on Thursday that the report disregards the facts and is prejudiced.

The US is the biggest nuclear threat in the world, as it owns 5,550 nuclear warheads as of early 2021, Wang said, citing data from international think tanks.

While the US possesses the world’s largest, most advanced nuclear arsenal, it is still investing trillions of dollars to upgrade its „nuclear triad,“ developing low-yield nuclear weapons and lowering the threshold of using nukes, Wang said.

The US left arms control legal instruments like the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, continued to deploy antiballistic missile systems around the world, resumed land-based intermediate-range missile development and tests, and sought to deploy them in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, Wang said, noting that the US is also creating a small clique with strong Cold War undertones through the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation.  

These moves seriously harm global strategic stability, and damage international peace and security, Wang said, urging the US to shoulder its special and primary responsibility in nuclear disarmament by further cutting its nuclear arsenal in a verifiable, irreversible and legally binding way to safeguard global strategic balance and stability, Wang said.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Pentagon report’s hype of the Chinese „nuclear threat“ aims to drag China into a disarmament negotiation on the premise of a nuclear arms race, and give the US sufficient reason to further expand its strategic nuclear force by winning more funding.

While China has never disclosed the size of its nuclear arsenal, the Pentagon said a year ago that the number was in the „low 200s,“ AP reported. Even bolder guesses from some international think tanks estimate the figure to be at somewhere around 300.

As for nuclear warhead delivery platforms, the AP report admitted that the US and Russia have had the nuclear triad for decades.

The US military operates silo-based Minuteman-III IBCMs, Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines equipped with trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), and nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers capable of air defense penetration. 

The US is also upgrading its nuclear arsenal with upgrades to the Minuteman-III ICBM, replacing the Ohio-class submarines with the next-generation Columbia class, and developing the new B-21 stealth bomber. It is also planning to equip F-35 stealth fighter jets with B61-12 tactical nukes, which analysts said could significantly lower the threshold of using nuclear weapons in actual combat.

China’s nuclear weapons are way behind the US in terms of quality and quantity, Song pointed out. „The number of Chinese nuclear warheads is only very small compared to the US‘, and China’s means to deliver them are also very limited.“

China is not in a position to engage in strategic arms talks with the US, Song said.

Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the US had been in a global leading position in military strength for a long time, and insists on leading others by a wide margin, and China’s military development has touched the US elites‘ nerves on this aspect.

The Pentagon is hyping China’s rapid military technological development so it can get more funds, and is attempting to ally the West to strategically compete with China, Li said.

The US is also aggressively building up its antiballistic missile system, which aims not to defend, but to surround its opponents to weaken their nuclear deterrence, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times on Thursday.

China has not revealed the size of its nuclear arsenal, and the figures the US report released are speculative or even fabricated to serve its goals, as the US cannot get such sensitive data, Wei said.

Prior to the release of the Pentagon report, the US Strategic Command launched the Global Thunder 22 annual training focused on joint operations and nuclear readiness on Monday in a move to test and improve its combat capabilities against China, UPI reported on Monday.

The exercise involves increased bomber flights, missile training and nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine preparedness, to ascertain the reliability and resilience of the nuclear triad, the US Strategic Command said in a statement.

As China grows and faces strategic competition, including nuclear threats from the US, China has the right and need to strengthen its national defense, including nuclear deterrence capabilities, Chinese analysts said.

China needs to moderately expand its nuclear forces and nuclear arsenal, including the number of warheads and means of delivery, to safeguard its national security, Song said.

Real capabilities

In response to the West’s frequent accusation of China’s lack of transparency in its nuclear arsenal, the PLA has been displaying its latest achievements in this aspect on a regular basis outside of the number of warheads.

At the National Day military parade in Beijing on October 1, 2019, the PLA displayed the DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads; the JL-2 SLBM, which is believed to arm the Type 09IV nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine; the DF-31AG road-mobile ICBM, the DF-5B silo-based ICBM, and the country’s latest road-mobile ICBM, the DF-41.

The H-6N strategic bomber that appeared at the military parade is believed to be capable of carrying ALBMs, but the PLA has not confirmed this.

Media outlets have also been speculating that China could be developing nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles, a new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine with more lethal SLBMs, and the H-20 stealth strategic bomber.

Despite the PLA’s nuclear capabilities, China’s nuclear forces will not threaten anyone, because China’s purpose is different from that of the US, experts said.

China always adheres to nuclear strategic defense, has proposed the final, complete ban and thorough disposal of nuclear weapons, and has been limiting the scale of its nuclear power to the minimum level required for national security, Wang said.

China will never use a nuclear weapon first under any situation, and has promised not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons on nuclear-free countries and regions, Wang stressed.

„As long as China is not attacked by a nuclear weapon first, no country will be threatened by China’s nuclear weapons,“ Wang said.

China implements a limited nuclear deterrence strategy of nuclear counterattack, and China does not seek a nuclear arms race with the US, Song said.

The US uses nukes to protect its global hegemony, and China uses them to safeguard its national security, Song said. „The purpose and goal of the two countries are completely different.“ 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238200.shtml?id=11

That´s really the question. At the moment Chinese assertiveness is about getting control of the first island chain and Taiwan, but afterwards in the second phase it wants to push back the USA from the Indo- Pacific and even out of Asia and in the third phase become a world power, also militarily as the USA are today and China is already becoming close to it.

However,  on the other side the Global Times shows new Chinese assertiveness with proud reports about the maiden flight of the new Chinese J-20 stealtbomber and connected weapon systems as already at the Zhuhai Aviation Week:

“Innovation of twin-seat J-20 stealth fighter to lead world, military experts say after reported maiden flight

By

Liu Xuanzun

Published: Nov 07, 2021 07:16 PM

J-20 jets, China’s most advanced stealth fighter jets powered by domestic engines, made their debut at the opening ceremony of the China Airshow 2021 in the host city Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province on Tuesday.Photo: Cui Meng/GT

China has reportedly conducted the maiden flight of the twin-seat variation of the J-20 recently, as the aircraft became the world’s first stealth fighter jet with two seats to fly. Chinese military analysts said on Sunday that the new warplane uses innovations that could potentially change warfare and lead the world.

A two-seat prototype of the J-20 fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft has conducted what appears to have been its maiden flight, UK-based Jane’s Defence Weekly reported on Friday, citing an image that emerged on the same day on social media platforms.

According to the undated photo, the prototype aircraft was painted in yellow primer, and it took off from the airfield of the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, the maker of the J-20, next to its production facility, the Jane’s report said.

The Jane’s report came after unverified photos and videos circulated on social media in late October, which gave the world the first glimpse of the long-rumored aircraft running taxiing trials at the same airfield. Taxiing trials are often conducted shortly before test flights.

If the report is true, it would mean that the twin-seat variation of the J-20, sometimes informally dubbed the J-20S or J-20B since the official designation has yet to be released, has become the world’s first stealth fighter jet with two seats to be developed and fly, observers said.

As the world’s first of its kind, China’s J-20S twin-seat stealth fighter jet could potentially change the layout of future battlefields, and inspire and lead other countries in developing their own next-generation stealth fighter jets, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, said on social media on Saturday.

China used to follow the lead of other countries in warplane development, but it caught up with them with the original J-20, Fu said, noting that when China uses innovations like it does with the J-20S, it could lead the world in aviation.

When asked about the twin-seat variant of the J-20, Yang Wei, chief designer of the aircraft, said at a press conference at Airshow China 2021 in late September that, „Assuming we do have a twin-seat version of the J-20, it would not be a trainer aircraft, because it would be developed for the enhancement of the aircraft.“

Wang Ya’nan, the chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Sunday that an extra pilot on the twin-seat fighter jet could be utilized in more complicated combat situations, like serving as a fighter bomber and conducting attack missions on the ground and targets at sea, in addition to those in the air.

Another possibility is that the twin-seat version J-20 will be used to control loyal wingman-style drones, which will accompany the manned fighter in flight and carry different types of payloads for a wide variety of missions, including ground and surface attacks, air-to-air combat and electronic disruption, Wang said, noting that this would be a task too complicated for a single pilot to handle.

Combat data from the second seat could be gathered, analyzed and used to train artificial intelligence, which could eventually replace the second pilot, Wang predicted.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238343.shtml?id=11

And it also reports about joint maneuvres of the J-20 with the J 16D when exercising attacks on Taiwan:

“China’s J-16D electronic warfare aircraft starts combat training, ‘to team up with J-20 stealth fighter’

By

Liu Xuanzun

Published: Nov 06, 2021 10:36 PM

The J-16D electronic warfare aircraft belonging to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has recently entered combat training, and it is expected to conduct seamless, accompanying operations with the J-20 stealth fighter jet in moves with the potential to generate tremendous combat efficiency, experts said on Saturday.

Shortly after its debut at Airshow China 2021 held in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province in late September and early October, the J-16D has been deployed in real combat-oriented drills, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday, citing sources from the PLA Air Force.

Being deployed in real combat-oriented drills means the J-16D has begun to form a combat capability after the PLA Air Force gains familiarity with the new aircraft, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Saturday, requesting anonymity.

It will be ready for combat soon, if not already, the expert said.

Specialized in electronic warfare, the J-16D is the latest class of domestically developed J-16 fighter jet. It is expected to accompany other warplanes seamlessly and enhance the PLA Air Force’s capabilities in carrying out missions under informatized situation by establishing a  complete aviation electronic warfare system.

The J-16, from which the J-16D is derived, is a twin-seat, twin engine heavy fighter jet domestically developed in China. As a multirole fighter that excels at both offense and defense, it enjoys significant advantages in terms of the fire control system, radar and operation systems compared with other warplanes previously commissioned by the PLA Air Force.

The biggest difference between the J-16D and the original J-16 is that the J-16D can carry a wider range of equipment, including the small pods on the aircraft’s wingtips and the large pods under the aircraft’s wings and belly, CCTV quoted Chinese military expert Wang Mingzhi as saying.

These pods, containing electronic surveillance, communications disruption and radar jamming devices, are the J-16D’s main battle equipment, in addition to the J-16’s original capabilities as a fighter, including  air-to-air missiles, making the aircraft particularly powerful, Wang Mingzhi said.

In real combat situations, electronic warfare aircraft like the J-16D can accompany other warplanes and provide them with electronic warfare support, for example, conducting electronic jamming or deception, Wang Ya’nan, the chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times in a previous interview.

They can also launch direct attacks on hostile radar installations or early warning aircraft, Wang Ya’nan said.

Among all other warplanes, the J-16D can join hands with China’s most advanced J-20 stealth fighter jet, CCTV reported.

Wang Mingzhi said that, both the J-16D and the J-20 are designed to disrupt hostile radar assets. While the J-16D suppresses radars, the J-20 evades them.

When the two aircraft team up, it would bring tremendous combat efficiency, and such a combination will definitely come in handy in future battlefields, Wang Mingzhi opined.

J-16 fighter jets have been frequent participants in PLA exercises near the island of Taiwan over the past year, according to the island’s defense authorities.

Since electronic warfare is a crucial part in modern warfare, it will not be a surprise if the J-16D also joins similar drills in the future, experts said.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238277.shtml?id=11

Some Chinese experts claim that the USA wanted to bring China in some sort of arms race as it did under Reagan with the Sovjet Union, but the parameters today are different. Firstly, China and Russia today are strategic partners and neither Russia nor China wants to ally with the USA against each other as China before did after the Nixon visit against the Sovjet Union, even if some US strategist like Mearsheimer thinks that this alliance will end in the miderm or longterm if China is getting to powerful even for Russia. .Bringing the other side to bankruptcy by an arms race no longer works today – the Chinese economy is too big and dynamic compared to the SU and making too many techonlogical progresses and innovations. And the Russians have already made it clear that they will not fall into the  old arms race trap a second time and that the second strike capability is completely sufficient for them.Also an arms race is not only about traditional conventional and nuclear weapons, but also in the spheres of hybrid warfare, space and cyberspace. A cynic would even say that China had already the potential to bring the USA to bankruptcy by an arms race.

However China shows a new assertiveness which is not defensive, but offensive. This can be seen in the case of India. China not only makes trouble in the South and East Chinese Sea, Taiwan, but also is preparing for a new border conflict with India:

“PLA conducts multiple drills in western plateau after India’s exercises ‘targeting China’

By

Liu Xuanzun

Published: Nov 08, 2021 07:33 PM

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) revealed it conducted multiple drills in its western plateau over the past week. This comes after the Indian military launched a major exercise along the border with China at the start of the month. Chinese experts said on Monday that the response displays the PLA’s capabilities in safeguarding national sovereignty and security as it faces India’s provocations.

An artillery regiment affiliated with the PLA Xinjiang Military Command recently conducted a comprehensive, cross-day-and-night exercise in a high-altitude region, involving live-fire shooting of PCL-181 155mm self-propelled howitzers and PHL-11 122mm multiple rocket launchers, as the drill tested the troops‘ fire strike efficiency and combat capabilities under the harsh cold in plateau regions, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday.

In another recent event, held deep in a plateau region at an elevation of 5,100 meters, the PLA Xinjiang Military Command organized a joint fire strike confrontation drill, as PHL-03 300mm multiple rocket launchers and China’s latest type of multiple rocket launchers capable of firing 370mm rockets teamed up with reconnaissance drones and artillery radars to launch precision strikes on the enemy, CCTV reported on Wednesday.

JH-7 fighter bombers affiliated with the PLA Western Theater Command Air Force also joined the exercise, which trained joint aerial combat, electronic countermeasures and land-based air defense, the report said, noting that the drill practiced the weapons and equipment’s performances and the coordination between the Army and the Air Force.

Deep in the heart of Zangnan in the southern part of Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet), at an elevation of more than 4,000 meters, a combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA Xizang Military Command recently conducted an assault training in mountainous areas, CCTV reported on November 2.

Advanced PLA main battle equipment, including the Type 15 light tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled howitzers and auxiliary vehicles, took part in the drill, which tested the troops‘ physical fitness, skills and comprehensive combat capabilities in complicated terrains and under oxygen-lacking, freezing environment, CCTV said.

The reports on the PLA drills came after the Indian Army and Air Force on November 1 kicked off a three-day, major „airborne insertion and combat“ exercise along the western border section with China, which was meant to convey a „clear message“ to China, the Times of India reported on November 2.

China and India failed to reach an agreement during the latest round of corps commander-level talks over the western section of China-India border issues in early October, due to unreasonable and unrealistic demand from India. Chinese experts warned at that time that China needs to be prepared to defend against another Indian military aggression.

China aims to manage and control the China-India border issues through talks so both sides can resolve divergences and avoid conflicts, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Monday.

On the other hand, the PLA is also enhancing its combat preparedness as India keeps making provocations along the borders, Song said, noting that proper military approaches are needed when necessary in order to safeguard national sovereignty and security.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238429.shtml?id=11

However, an author in the Global Times warns that China should not push India to the point that it grants US bases on Indian territory against China and Pakistan and that China should not set up military bases in Pakistan. An indicator that China might be thinking about it:

India likely to tread carefully as US seeks military base support

By Zhang Jiadong Published: Nov 06, 2021 07:16 PM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Russian state TV recently that Washington is seeking to deploy military bases in neighboring countries of Afghanistan. He suggested that the US has been trying to persuade India to provide opportunities on its territory for the US military. But India’s stance remains unclear.

The US anti-terrorism mission in Afghanistan won’t come to a halt thoroughly even after its withdrawal from the country. What Washington desires are politically reliable military bases with convenient access and a stable situation for its Unmanned Aircraft Systems. But now, with the rejection of Central Asian countries and instability in Pakistan, the US requires opening up new platforms to make its military presence in South Asia more diverse and flexible.

If the US can further enhance its cooperation with India, which has a military base in Tajikistan – the Farkhor Airbase, Washington will have the opportunity to use this airbase. This will make it more convenient for the US to enter and exit Afghanistan. Thus, Washington now pays more attention to military cooperation with New Delhi.

India will possibly allow the US to use some Indian military facilities. But India will accept neither military bases to be established by other countries on its own territory nor „a state within a state“ owned by the US.

On the one hand, India did allow the US to use Indian military facilities during actions against a third country. In the 1950s and 1960s, the CIA vigorously supported anti-China armed groups. Without acquiescence and facility support from India, the CIA would have had great difficulties carrying out large-scale transportation of personnel and supplies in deep inland areas like the Himalayas.

On the other hand, agreements between the two countries have already provided legal guarantees for the US to use Indian military bases. Washington and New Delhi have signed the Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), and the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement on Geospatial Cooperation (BECA). The LEMOA signed in 2016 stipulates that both parts could use military bases of each other’s for logistics operations. In 2021, the two countries have discussed the issue of jointly forming an Integrated Underwater Surveillance System (IUSS), showing that the military facilities of the two countries are progressing toward more cooperation. 

During his visit to the US, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a joint statement on September 24, 2021, reaffirming that the two countries will keep „close defense engagements in information sharing, sharing of logistics and military-to-military interactions, strengthening cooperation in advanced military technologies, and expanding engagements in a multilateral framework including with regional partners.“

However, India’s doubts about the alliance system have not undergone fundamental changes. Even those pro-US forces in India are worried about whether the alliance with the US will weaken the independence and strategic autonomy of India’s foreign policy, whether it will damage its pursuit of greater status, and whether it will make India face more uncertainties by further infuriating China.

Therefore, it is impossible for the US and India to end up with an alliance system like the US-Japan alliance where the ally is actually controlled by the US, an option unacceptable to India. The two countries, though, may reach a kind of „backstage alliance relationship“ – a quasi-alliance or de facto alliance, which would neither require political treaties to guarantee nor rise to the level of national strategy. With authorization from political leaders, this „backstage alliance“ can be implemented by military departments with strong operability, invisibility, and flexibility to be started or stopped at any time as needed.

It is worth noting that China’s attitude is also an important factor affecting the US-India military relations. If China’s pressure on India is not strong enough, India is likely to move closer to the US regardless China’s opposition; if the pressure is too much, India has no better choice but to move closer to the US

Judging from the current situation, if India insists on the mistaken belief that China has established or will soon establish a military base in Pakistan, then the possibility of India opening military bases to the US will greatly increase.

The author is a professor at the Center for American Studies, Fudan University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238269.shtml

But it doesn´t matter. China delivers Pakistan now their most modern warship to challenge India in the Indo-Pacific and thereby provoke India not only at land, but also at sea as it is also sending more and more Chinese warships and submarines in the Indian Ocean:

“China delivers largest, most advanced warship to Pakistan

By

Liu Xuanzun

Published: Nov 08, 2021 10:22 PM

China on Monday delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, in a move that highlights the friendship between the two countries and will contribute to the two countries‘ all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, CSSC announced in a statement on Monday.

The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, according to a statement the Pakistan Navy sent to the Global Times on Monday.

The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy, the Pakistan Navy said, noting that the ship is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials.

Being equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defense capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, the Pakistani statement said.

The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, CSSC said.

The completion and the delivery of the vessel is another major achievement of China-Pakistan friendship, and will further enhance the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, the Chinese shipbuilding company said in the statement.

Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ushers in a new chapter in Pakistan-China friendship that has matured through the test of time and remained steadfast in all domains, according to the statement from the Pakistan Navy.

In the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Pakistan Navy’s capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defense, maintain peace, stability and balance of power in the Indian Ocean region, the ambassador said, who also praised the concerted efforts made by China for the landmark achievement by the timely delivery of the well-equipped and potent frigate despite the global pandemic.

The Vice Party Secretary and Director of the Board at CSSC Du Gang also applauded the timely construction of PNS Tughril while emphasizing that the commissioning of the ship is a major milestone and a testimony of the China-Pakistan long-lived friendship, as both countries are bound by the affinity of trust, compassion and commonality.

The head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, said that the PNS Tughril, being a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the Pakistan Navy fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy’s maritime defense capabilities, according to the Pakistani statement.

The delivery of the frigate also serves as a milestone in expanding the influence of Chinese vessels as products and boosting their competitiveness in the international market, CSSC said.

Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Research Academy, told the Global Times in a previous interview that the Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China’s most advanced frigate.

Compared to previous Chinese frigates, the new ship has better air defense capability, as it is equipped with an improved radar system and a larger amount of missiles with a longer range, Zhang said, noting that the Type 054A frigate also has world-class stealth capability.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202111/1238452.shtml

The Pentagon already issued a report which  claims that China would already surpassed the US Navy and built up a even more mighty sea power:

“China has the world’s largest navy, third-largest air force – report

China’s navy, known as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has 355 ships and submarines, with an estimated 145 major surface combatants. 

The Chinese navy is the largest maritime force on Earth, boasting a total of 355 vessels, the US Defense Department revealed in a recent report released Wednesday. 

China’s navy, known as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has 355 ships and submarines, with an estimated 145 major surface combatants. 

The navy is also readying its ability to carry out long-range precision strikes against land targets and enhance its anti-submarine warfare, further strengthening China’s global power projection capabilities, the report noted.

And this number is only expected to grow in the future, with the Defense Department anticipating the Chinese fleet to grow to 460 ships by 2030.

In addition to the world’s largest navy, China also possesses the world’s largest standing army and the third-largest air force. This is in addition to the country’s noted nuclear capabilities.

The report is significant as it comes amid tensions between China and nearby Taiwan, which has long claimed independence as its own state, though this independence is denied by mainland China.

For over a year, China has made numerous incursions on Taiwanese airspace, culminating in the largest one ever on October 1. Later that month, the US and Canada sent warships into the Taiwan Strait, an act condemned by China.

On Friday, China went further in fighting against Taiwanese independence, stating that anyone who supports Taiwan’s independence would be criminally liable for life. This is the first time that China has spelled out concrete punishment for people deemed to be pro-Taiwan independence.

https://www.jpost.com/international/china-has-the-worlds-largest-navy-third-largest-air-force-report-684233

It seems that we already face an arms race which will even escalate and not make one side bankrupt as the Sovjet Union, but will cost huge amounts of money which could be used better for other civilian purposes. However that´s the price of the new great power “game” and the Sino-Aemrican struggle about being a world power which becomes a sort of geopolitical “Squid Game”. And as China and Russia demonstrated with their abscence at the G-20 summit they don´t only care about human rights, values but also not about climate change and its destastrous consequences and potential tipping points, but only about traditional geopolitcal Squid Games and spheres of influence.