China is building a coastguard vessel based on an advanced destroyer and equipped with hi-tech surveillance equipment, according to media reports.
The ship is expected to be used in the East and South China Seas, where the country is embroiled in a series of long-running territorial disputes, most notably with the Philippines.
In June satellite images captured the ship at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard and on Monday the local media outlet Guancha.cn reported that it had already been painted with the coastguard’s livery and will be joining the force.
Its design is based on the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer but has been modified to better suit coastguard operations, according to the report.
It said the destroyer’s vertical launch system has been removed and it has a 76mm main gun as opposed to the 130mm gun found on the warship.
Notably, the new vessel is equipped with Type 382 air search radars, a model also found on some Chinese frigates, which Guancha said will “enhance the air surveillance capability” of the vessel.
09:23
History, money and military: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
History, money and military: why the South China Sea is so important to Beijing
When it entered service in 2014, the Type 052D was a significant milestone in the Chinese navy’s development, being equipped with advanced radar and missile systems.
Although China has two of the world’s biggest coastguard ships, with a displacement of more than 10,000 tonnes, the article said the new ship fills a gap in the 6,000 to 7,000-tonne displacement range and can be compared with Japan’s larger coastguard ships.
The ship has a range of over 6,000 nautical miles, allowing it to operate freely in the South China Sea without the need for frequent resupplies, according to Guancha, which added the vessel can be used for offshore law enforcement.
Chen Xiangmiao, an assistant research fellow at the China National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said: “The vessel could be used to meet patrol needs in the East China Sea. There is also a need to increase the number of vessels in the South China Sea.”
Chen also said the coastguard had to be able to deal with United States ships as well as those from its rival claimants in the region.
The addition of the new vessel comes as China is involved in more low-intensity but high-frequency conflicts with other claimants in the South China Sea, as well as in the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
Chinese and Philippine coastguard ships have been involved in a series of confrontations in disputed areas of the South China Sea this year, especially near the Second Thomas Shoal.
Chinese vessels have also staged regular patrols in the East China Sea around the disputed Diaoyu Islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan.
They have also intensified patrols near Taiwan following the death of two fishermen from the mainland province of Fujian in February in a chase with the Taiwanese coastguard.
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of China that must be reunified with the mainland – by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, Taiwan’s main international supporter, do not recognise it as independent, but Washington opposes any attempt to seize it by force.
China’s coastguards play a crucial role in addressing tensions across these regions, which is driving Beijing’s efforts to strengthen the fleet, already believed to be the world’s largest. As well as building more advanced ships, it is repurposing old warships for coastguard operations.
02:34
Chinese and Philippine ships clash in first incident under Beijing’s new coast guard law
Chinese and Philippine ships clash in first incident under Beijing’s new coast guard law
“Vessels like the Type 052D, equipped with naval radar systems, are essential for enhancing the coastguard’s reconnaissance capabilities in the complex maritime environment of the South China Sea,” Chen said.
But other countries are also building up their fleets. In June, Japan News reported that the country is building its largest-ever multipurpose patrol vessel to better respond to Chinese activities.
The Philippines is also reportedly adding five vessels to its own fleet with help from Tokyo.
