The past week has been very busy for the Chinese Navy.

Terpstra
Terpstra
Jul 30, 2017 · 3 min read

This past week of Chinese naval activity highlights China’s regional concerns and gives us a glimpse of China’s navy as a global force.

July 22: Chinese spy ship spotted monitoring Talisman Sabre 2017.

The Haiwangxing, a Type 851 spy ship. Credit: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Last weekend, the Australian Defense Ministry announced that a Chinese Type 851 spy ship had been spotted monitoring the U.S.-Australia Talisman Sabre military exercise. The Diplomat reports that the specific ship was the Haiwangxing, which belongs to China’s South Sea Fleet. The ship was probably sent to collect signals intelligence on U.S. and Australian assets. Defense News notes that the Chinese are interested in the electronic warfare aircraft and UAVs which took part in Talisman Sabre. The Chinese Navy has six Type 851s in operation and another one under construction.

July 24–26: Exercise with Hellenic Navy

The Chaohu, a Chinese Type 903 replenishment ship sails alongside the Troupakis, a Laskos-class missile boat.

On Monday, three Chinese Navy ships arrived for an exercise with the Hellenic Navy. The three Chinese ships are on a six month global tour which began in April, and involves stops at 20 different countries around the world.

These Chinese ships were the Chaohu, a Type 903 replenishment ship, the Jingzhou, a Type 054A frigate, and the flagship of the formation, the Changchun, a Type 052C destroyer. Previously these ships had stopped in Turkey.

In the foreground, the Greek Elli-class frigate Navarinon. In the background, the Changchun, a Type 052C destroyer.

July 24–28: Exercise with Russian Navy in Baltic Sea

This two part exercise formally began on July 21st with a coastal exercise, but the sea phase of the exercise took place this week. This is the first joint exercise between China and Russia in the Baltic Sea. Three Chinese ships participated, the Luomahu, a Type 903 replenishment ship, the Hefei, a Type 052D destroyer, and the Yuncheng, a Type 054A frigate. The Royal Navy, the Royal Netherlands Navy, and the Finnish Navy all monitored the Chinese ships at different times during their stay. Previously these ships had run drills in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Luomahu, a Type 903 replenishment ship. Credit: Finnish Navy
The Hefei, a Type 052D destroyer. Credit: Finnish Navy
The Yuncheng, a Type 054A frigate. Credit: Finnish Navy

July 27–29: Exercise in Yellow Sea

China also announced a large scale naval exercise in the Yellow Sea this week. Not much is known about this drill because it was announced suddenly. Some suspect that it will involve the Liaoning, China’s active duty aircraft carrier, which recently wrapped up a visit to Hong Kong, or even China’s unnamed second aircraft carrier which was launched earlier this year and is conducting sea trials.

Terpstra

Written by

Terpstra

Current affairs writer.

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