Seven years after the Liaoning entered service into the Chinese navy, China commissioned its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, on December 17, 2019. This ship features notable enhancements over the Liaoning and represents an important step in China’s developing aircraft carrier program.
A superpower is distinguished by its power projection abilities. Spurred by economic growth and expanding regional security interests, China has embarked on a large-scale modernization of its military, but it remains unclear if China is yet a global superpower.
China has been steadily developing ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) to complement its nuclear deterrence strategy and safeguard its national security. Despite considerable progress, China still faces a number of hurdles in fielding a credible SSBN force.
