Sailors stand on the deck of the new Type 055-class destroyer known as Nanchang during a parade marking the Chinese navy’s 70th anniversary, Qingdao, China, April 23, 2019 (AP photo by Mark Schiefelbein).

In late March, China held an international fleet review to mark the Chinese navy’s 70th anniversary. In addition to the large Chinese contingent, 13 countries sent warships to the port city of Qingdao, on the coast of the Yellow Sea, while some 60 countries sent delegations to participate in the commemorations. The fleet review provided an opportunity to showcase the various advances in the Chinese navy and served as another public display of China’s growing military might. At the same time, though, it also exposed some of the Chinese navy’s enduring shortcomings. The fleet review, which involved 32 Chinese naval […]