Latest news with #navalpower
CNA
08-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
China's Shandong aircraft carrier's visit to Hong Kong signals growing military ambitions: Analysts
HONG KONG: China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Shandong, wrapped up a five-day port call in Hong Kong on Monday (Jul 7), in a move analysts say reflects Beijing's intent to advance its military ambitions amid rising geopolitical tensions. Named after the Chinese province of Shandong, the vessel is China's second carrier and a cornerstone of President Xi Jinping's strategy to project naval power, particularly in disputed waters in the South China Sea. Its Hong Kong visit came just days after the city marked the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty. REGIONAL PRESENCE Alejandro Reyes, an adjunct professor at the University of Hong Kong's politics and public administration department, said he does not believe the purpose is to signal that China is positioning itself as 'a rival' to the United States. 'Besides the idea of generating or cultivating patriotism in Hong Kong, I think it's a more modest strategic objective just to show that China is a developing and emerging naval power in the region,' he added. 'This is China saying: 'This is our neighbourhood, this is our internal waters'. So, whether the Shandong is in Hong Kong or not, it's immaterial.' However, Rex Li, international relations professor and research affiliate of the Lau China Institute at King's College London, thinks otherwise. It is 'about showing, demonstrating China's capabilities, naval capabilities', he said. 'China will continue to develop its military capabilities, its military power, especially at a time when geopolitical tensions are rising rapidly in different parts of the world," he added. Li noted that 'the important step for China now is to make sure it's capable of responding to any crisis or events that would affect or challenge China's economic or security interest'. 'It's really a demonstration of power,' he added. 'I don't think it will lead to any major US-China crisis. But it will certainly send a clear signal to the US that China is prepared to fight if necessary.' The Shandong, which measures more than 300m in length, was commissioned in 2019. It is the second Chinese aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong, following a 2017 visit by the Liaoning. China's third and most advanced carrier, the Fujian, is expected to enter service this year, ushering in what state media calls the 'three aircraft carrier era'. Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee said during the welcoming ceremony that the Shandong fleet visit would allow the public to "experience the magnificence and sophistication of the country's modern warships". A STRONGER MILITARY Many Hong Kong residents had turned out to catch a rare glimpse of the Chinese vessel and preserve the moment with photos. 'I have never seen a real aircraft carrier. I have seen military ships before but not such a big one," said Hong Kong resident Ho Wong. 'I am very happy that China has (such a vessel). It's considered a good thing for the world, with a stronger military, the world will be more balanced, there will not be as many conflicts.' Fellow Hong Kong resident Ng Mui Ying expressed pride, saying: 'As Chinese citizens, since (the carrier) has arrived in Hong Kong, we must definitely try all means to come and see it.' China has steadily raised its defence budget over the past decade, amid President Xi's push to fully modernise the country's military by 2035. In March, it announced another 7.2 per cent boost this year. Li said defence modernisation has always been important for China. 'From China's point of view, it's always preferable to achieve peace without fighting. In terms of promoting peace, I think China wants to show that peace can be achieved through military strength,' he said. 'You would not be in a strong position to negotiate with other countries, to talk about peace if this is not backed up by your military capabilities. You can only have a louder voice in negotiation if other countries can see that if negotiation breaks down, you are able to fight.' Meanwhile, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) countries agreed last month to invest 5 per cent of their gross domestic product annually on core defence and defence-related spending by 2035.
Al Jazeera
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
N Korea's Kim eyes more warships as damaged destroyer relaunched
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has promised to build more warships and deploy them to the Pacific Ocean, as he officiated at the relaunching of a destroyer that partially sank during its inauguration last month, state media reports. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday that Kim presided over the ceremony for the 5,000-tonne destroyer at the Rajin shipyard in the country's far north. The ship has been named Kang Kon after a senior North Korean military official who was killed in action during the Korean War. In a speech at the ceremony on Thursday, Kim was quoted as saying that repairs to the destroyer 'had not delayed' North Korea's attempts to enhance naval power. 'In two weeks' time, the vessel was brought upright safely and set afloat, accomplishing its complete restoration today as planned,' Kim said, according to KCNA. The North Korean leader also announced that plans were in place 'to build two more 5,000-tonne destroyers next year', as he called for his country to strengthen its maritime military presence in the Pacific Ocean in the face of what he said were provocations by the United States and its allies. 'Soon, enemies will experience, themselves, how provocative and unpleasant it is to sit and watch the ships of an adversary run rampant on the fringes of sovereign waters,' Kim said. 'I'm sure that in the near future, the routes of our battleships … will be opened on the Pacific Ocean toward the outposts of aggression,' he said. Recent satellite images had shown ongoing repairs of the Kang Kon destroyer that had partially capsized in May during a botched inaugural launch that Kim described as a 'criminal act'. The newly launched Kang Kon is North Korea's second known destroyer and is seen as a crucial asset in Kim's goal of modernising his country's naval forces. The South Korean military estimates, based on its size and scale, that the new warship is similarly equipped to the 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which North Korea built with Russian assistance and launched in May. Kim has been pushing for the modernisation of his military and calling for an aggressive response to threats from the US and South Korea, who are key allies and regularly conduct military drills together. On Wednesday, the White House said that US President Donald Trump would welcome communications with Kim after having had friendly relations with him during his first term in office. But the South Korea-based NK News, which monitors North Korea, reported recently that Pyongyang's delegation at the United Nations in New York had repeatedly refused to accept a letter from Trump to Kim.
Al Arabiya
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
North Korea launches repaired destroyer, Kim vows two more to come
A North Korean naval destroyer damaged in a botched launch last month was successfully set afloat on a second attempt, with leader Kim Jong Un presiding, state media said Friday. A ceremony for the ship, baptised the Kang Kon — named after a top North Korean general killed in the 1950–53 war — was held on Thursday at the Rajin shipyard, up the coast from where the failed attempt occurred, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency. 'Just over two weeks since the accident, the ship was safely raised and floated, and today, as planned, complete restoration has been finished,' Kim said, according to KCNA. Kim has also approved a plan to build two more destroyer-class vessels next year, the agency added. The decision 'heralds a significant and dramatic change in the status and defense activities of [our] Navy,' Kim said, according to KCNA. Photos released by the agency showed Kim, wearing a large straw hat and beaming happily, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. He claimed that the 'provocative intentions of the US and its allies' have recently become 'more blatant, and the level of threats to our security has clearly gone far beyond the dangerous limit.' 'We must develop our naval power more comprehensively and rapidly so that the enemy cannot even think of carrying out aggressive actions in the waters around us,' the North Korean leader said. The successful launch comes after Pyongyang last month announced 'a serious accident' when workers first tried to put the 5,000-ton destroyer into water in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. The mishap crushed sections of the bottom of the newly built ship. Pyongyang later covered it with a tarpaulin, satellite images showed. South Korean intelligence believe North Korea's so-called 'side-launch attempt' of the ship failed, and the vessel was left listing in the water. Kim called the incident a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness,' and state media subsequently reported the arrest of four officials in connection with the botched launch. But the country said soon afterward that the extent of damage to the vessel was 'not serious,' and that it would take 'two or three days' to drain it, and another 10 to restore the destroyer's side. The South Korean military estimated that, based on its size and scale, the new warship was similarly equipped to the 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled in late April. Seoul's unification ministry, which manages relations with Pyongyang, said no 'external structural defects have been identified on the destroyer.' But 'continuous monitoring is required to determine whether it is functioning normally,' the ministry said in a statement. Pyongyang has said the Choe Hyon is equipped with the 'most powerful weapons,' and that it would 'enter into operation early next year.' Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads — although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturize its atomic arsenal. Seoul's military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help, possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine. North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war. Hong Sung-pyo, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Military Affairs, said it is 'almost certain' that the North's latest warships are a result of Russia's assistance. 'North Korea is one of the very few countries that have supported Russia's war in Ukraine. Since it has provided very tangible assistance — including weapons and even personnel — Russia will find it difficult not to reciprocate,' he told AFP. 'What Pyongyang currently seeks the most are hard currency and advanced military technology.' South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, elected last week in a snap election, has promised a more dovish approach toward Pyongyang, compared with that of his hawkish impeached predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. The Lee administration has halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, which Seoul began last year following a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang. North Korea had resumed its own propaganda broadcasts, sending strange and eerie noises into the South, but it appears to have stopped.
Japan Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
North Korea restores damaged warship and plans to build more next year
North Korea said it successfully refloated a 5,000-ton destroyer that suffered damage in a botched launch attempt last month that left it foundering in shallow water, with leader Kim Jong Un vowing to build two more vessels of the same class next year as part of his efforts to boost the country's naval capabilities. A second launch ceremony for the Choe Hyon-class destroyer Kang Kon took place at the northeastern port of Rajin on Thursday, state media Korean Central News Agency said, less than a month after reporting a "serious accident' during the first attempted launch of the ship in May. "Despite the difficulties and obstacles, our massive shipbuilding plans aimed at building advanced naval power are being pushed forward at the fastest pace possible,' Kim said in a speech at the ceremony. The warship will be delivered to the navy for operations by mid-2026, and the ruling party has approved a plan to build two more 5,000-ton class destroyers next year, Kim said. "Soon enough the enemies will learn themselves how provocative and unpleasant it is to see enemy ships running through the periphery of their sovereign waters,' Kim said. The North Korean leader slammed the approach of U.S. strategic assets into the region as raising the risk of a nuclear war and said his forces will take "overwhelming military action' against any aggressive move. The remarks were made just as the White House said President Donald Trump is open to communications with Kim. South Korea said it's closely communicating with the U.S. on its North Korea policy. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (right) and his daughter Ju Ae attend the launch ceremony for a warship at the Rajin shipyard on Thursday. | KCNA / KNS / via AFP-Jiji Analysts said the relatively fast restoration of the damaged warship signals North Korea's capability to pursue a quick naval build-up. The exact extent of the damage done to the ship in last month's accident was not disclosed. It's also unclear whether the destroyer has been fully repaired. "Experts are generally skeptical about North Korea's naval capabilities, but time and again, including the country's recent floating of the capsized ship, the country has demonstrated that it can make impressive progress when it is prepared to devote priority, resources, and time,' the 38 North program at the Stimson Center said in a report. The country's navy mainly consists of smaller vessels for coastal defense. The new destroyers were designed to extend the nation's firepower in the Yellow Sea to the west and in eastern waters in the direction of Japan. The new vessels can launch guided missiles and boast an air defense system that include the Russian Pantsir-M, "manifesting the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow,' according to an analysis by Beyond Parallel, which focuses on North Korea. "While North Korea's two Choe Hyon-class destroyers may not yet match the sophistication of their South Korean or U.S. counterparts, the pace with which they were built suggests North Korean shipyards are gaining the expertise needed to produce more advanced warships in the near future,' the 38 North report said.
CNA
13-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
North Korea launches repaired destroyer, Kim vows two more to come
SEOUL: A North Korean naval destroyer damaged in a botched launch last month was successfully set afloat on a second attempt, with leader Kim Jong Un presiding, state media said on Friday (Jun 13). A ceremony for the ship baptised the Kang Kon - after a top North Korean general killed in the 1950-53 war - was held on Thursday at the Rajin shipyard, up the coast from where the botched attempt occurred, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency. "Just over two weeks since the accident, the ship was safely raised and floated, and today, as planned, complete restoration has been finished," Kim said, according to KCNA. Kim has also approved a plan to build two more destroyer-class vessels next year, the agency added. The decision "heralds a significant and dramatic change in the status and defence activities of (our) Navy", Kim said, according to KCNA. Photos released by the agency showed Kim was accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae. He claimed that the "provocative intentions of the US and its allies" have recently become "more blatant, and the level of threats to our security has clearly gone far beyond the dangerous limit". "We must develop our naval power more comprehensively and rapidly so that the enemy cannot even think of carrying out aggressive actions in the waters around us," the North Korean leader said. The successful launch comes after Pyongyang last month announced "a serious accident" when workers first tried to put the 5,000-tonne destroyer into water in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. The mishap crushed sections of the bottom of the newly built ship. Pyongyang later covered it with a tarpaulin, satellite images showed. South Korean intelligence believe North Korea's so-called "side-launch attempt" of the ship failed, and the vessel was left listing in the water. Kim called the incident a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness" and state media subsequently reported the arrest of four officials in connection with the botched launch. But the country said soon afterwards that the extent of damage to the vessel was "not serious", and that it would take "two or three days" to drain it, and another 10 to restore the destroyer's side. The South Korean military estimated that, based on its size and scale, the new warship is similarly equipped to the 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled in late April. RUSSIAN HELP? Pyongyang has said the Choe Hyon is equipped with the "most powerful weapons", and that it would "enter into operation early next year." Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads - although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its atomic arsenal. Seoul's military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help, possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine. North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war. South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, elected last week in a snap election, has promised a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang, compared with his hawkish impeached predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. The Lee administration has halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, which Seoul began last year in response to a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang. North Korea had resumed its own propaganda broadcasts last year, sending strange and eerie noises into the South, prompting complaints from border residents.
