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Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Satellite images show China's new naval base fueling military concerns
Six nuclear submarines have been discovered at a previously hidden Chinese military base. Satellite imagery has revealed that at least half a dozen active submarines are resting at the First Submarine Base in Qingdao, which has direct access to the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Alex Luck, an independent naval analyst from Australia who first spotted the images, said five of the nuclear-powered submarines on the once-secret base were conventionally armed. These included two Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A submarines, and one unidentified submarine. The only Chinese Type 092 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, which is no longer operational and was recently replaced by Type 094, was also visible in the images. Experts have suggested that the base could be a central part of China's expanding martime strategy. Last night campaigners called on Western nations to take a tougher stance on Beijing in light of their military buildup. Robert Clark, the head of UK Public Affairs and Advocacy at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, told MailOnline: 'This alarming development confirms two important facets of Chinese military strategy - the first is their intent to continually defy international law by increasing their rate of nuclear proliferation.' 'The second is their desire to not only break through as a truly 'blue water' navy, but to actively dominate the strategically important sea lines of communication all the way out to the third island chain, and as far as Australia and in the Indian Ocean. 'The base at Qingdao and their recently revealed nuclear submarines will give Beijing an enormous strategic edge in this regard. 'As the US begins to follow a more isolationist policy, today's deployment of the Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific must incorporate passage of the Taiwan Strait - just as previous deployments have done - to send a clear signal to China that it does not control these waters and islands which it has no legitimate basis'. Beijing's focus now appears to be modernising the nuclear component of its arsenal. China currently possesses about 600 nuclear warheads, but maintains a no-first-use nuclear weapons policy. It has built 12 nuclear-powered submarines over the last 15 years, including six Jin-class model, which were proudly displayed in a parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic in 2019. Each of these can carry up to 12 missiles. Experts also expect another new type of the submarine - the 096 - to be operational in the 2030s. This will likely be armed with a longer-range ballistic missile to bolster China's naval deterrence efforts. Overall, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China possesses both a nuclear-powered submarine fleet and a robust diesel-electric submarine fleet. US intelligence estimates that the PLAN is expected to grow its fleet from 60 to 65 submarines by the end of this year, and to 80 by 2035. Luke De Pulford, Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told MailOnline: 'China is engaged in what the former foreign secretary called the biggest military buildup in history. 'We, meanwhile, have our heads buried in the sand, sending ministers to China in the hope of more trade and investment as if nothing is wrong. We need to wake up fast and realise that Beijing is on a war footing, and escalation over Taiwan could cost the world 10% of global GDP or even more. We should be acting with allies to determine red lines and develop meaningful deterrence.' It is believed that the submarines, as well as acting as a deterrent, could also provide Beijing with a second-strike option, meaning they will be able retaliate with nuclear weapons if they sustain a nuclear attack. It hasn't all been plain sailing, however. In 2023, a Zhou-class vessel - the first of a new kind of Chinese submarine - sank in a dock, according to US defence officials and satellite imagery. China's capability build-up comes in light of increasing fears that they are preparing to invade Taiwan. Last week Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported a sharp rise in Chinese military activity around its airspace and waters. According to the MND, 34 aircraft of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), six naval vessels from the PLAN and two official ships were detected around the island. Earlier this month - just days after China held live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait - Taiwanese authorities started a two-week long military simulation to prepare for an assault on the island. Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
China's new naval base is revealed on satellite images - along with worrying signs hinting at Beijing's military plans for the region
Six nuclear submarines have been discovered at a previously hidden Chinese military base. Satellite imagery has revealed that at least half a dozen active submarines are resting at the First Submarine Base in Qingdao, which has direct access to the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. Alex Luck, an independent naval analyst from Australia who first spotted the images, said five of the nuclear-powered submarines on the once-secret base were conventionally armed. These included two Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A submarines, and one unidentified submarine. The only Chinese Type 092 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, which is no longer operational and was recently replaced by Type 094, was also visible in the images. Experts have suggested that the base could be a central part of China's expanding martime strategy. Last night campaigners called on Western nations to take a tougher stance on Beijing in light of their military buildup. Robert Clark, the head of UK Public Affairs and Advocacy at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, told MailOnline: 'This alarming development confirms two important facets of Chinese military strategy - the first is their intent to continually defy international law by increasing their rate of nuclear proliferation. 'The second is their desire to not only break through as a truly 'blue water' navy, but to actively dominate the strategically important sea lines of communication all the way out to the third island chain, and as far as Australia and in the Indian Ocean. 'The base at Qingdao and their recently revealed nuclear submarines will give Beijing an enormous strategic edge in this regard. 'As the US begins to follow a more isolationist policy, today's deployment of the Royal Navy Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific must incorporate passage of the Taiwan Strait - just as previous deployments have done - to send a clear signal to China that it does not control these waters and islands which it has no legitimate basis'. Beijing's focus now appears to be modernising the nuclear component of its arsenal. China currently possesses about 600 nuclear warheads, but maintains a no-first-use nuclear weapons policy. It has built 12 nuclear-powered submarines over the last 15 years, including six Jin-class model, which were proudly displayed in a parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic in 2019. Each of these can carry up to 12 missiles. Experts also expect another new type of the submarine - the 096 - to be operational in the 2030s. This will likely be armed with a longer-range ballistic missile to bolster China's naval deterrence efforts. Overall, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China possesses both a nuclear-powered submarine fleet and a robust diesel-electric submarine fleet. US intelligence estimates that the PLAN is expected to grow its fleet from 60 to 65 submarines by the end of this year, and to 80 by 2035. Luke De Pulford, Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told MailOnline: 'China is engaged in what the former foreign secretary called the biggest military buildup in history. 'We, meanwhile, have our heads buried in the sand, sending ministers to China in the hope of more trade and investment as if nothing is wrong. 'We need to wake up fast and realise that Beijing is on a war footing, and escalation over Taiwan could cost the world 10% of global GDP or even more. 'We should be acting with allies to determine red lines and develop meaningful deterrence.' It is believed that the submarines, as well as acting as a deterrent, could also provide Beijing with a second-strike option, meaning they will be able retaliate with nuclear weapons if they sustain a nuclear attack. It hasn't all been plain sailing, however. In 2023, a Zhou-class vessel - the first of a new kind of Chinese submarine - sank in a dock, according to US defence officials and satellite imagery. China's capability build-up comes in light of increasing fears that they are preparing to invade Taiwan. Last week Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported a sharp rise in Chinese military activity around its airspace and waters. According to the MND, 34 aircraft of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), six naval vessels from the PLAN and two official ships were detected around the island. Earlier this month - just days after China held live-fire exercises in the Taiwan Strait - Taiwanese authorities started a two-week long military simulation to prepare for an assault on the island.
South China Morning Post
10-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong police take away US-based activist Frances Hui's parents for questioning
Hong Kong national security police have taken away the parents of wanted US-based activist Frances Hui Wing-ting for questioning, the Post has learned, after Washington imposed a new round of sanctions on local officials for what it called 'transnational repression'. Advertisement A source said that Hui's mother and father were escorted to two police stations in Sha Tin on Thursday. Hui, who left the city in 2020 and is now based in the United States, is among 19 activists with HK$1 million bounties on their heads for allegedly violating the Beijing-imposed national security law in Hong Kong. She is wanted on suspicion of colluding with a foreign country to endanger national security. Police accuse her of repeatedly calling on foreign countries to impose sanctions, blockades and other actions against China. Hui was among seven wanted activists whose passports were cancelled by authorities last December. Frances Hui left Hong Kong in 2020. Photo: Handout In 2022, Hui was granted political asylum in the US. She now serves as a policy and advocacy coordinator at the Washington-based Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, which is considered 'anti-China' by city authorities.
Boston Globe
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
US imposes sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials for pursuing activists abroad
Advertisement Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and Police Commissioner Raymond Siu were also among the six officials within national security bodies and the police force who were sanctioned for their roles in 'coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning' individuals under the national security law. In a national security crackdown since widespread unrest rocked the city in 2019, Hong Kong authorities have jailed scores of opposition lawmakers, activists, and others, including journalists, in the city. The state department also released an annual report Monday, saying the Hong Kong government had continued to use its broad national security laws to undermine human rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong, a criticism other Western countries have also made. It noted that, as recently as December, the Hong Kong government had offered bounties for information leading to the arrests of dissidents living overseas. Advertisement Hong Kong activists in the United States welcomed the move. 'Many of us have endured relentless pressure and threats through transnational repression. It truly means a great deal to see the US taking the lead in holding accountable the officials who orchestrated these actions,' Frances Hui, who was granted political asylum in the US, said in a statement on behalf of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation in Washington. Family members of overseas activists, including Hui, have been questioned in Hong Kong by its national security police. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said in a statement that its enforcement of these laws, which were first imposed in 2020 in the aftermath of months of mass pro-democracy protests the year before, were "just and necessary" to return stability and prosperity to the Chinese territory. It also condemned the sanctions, calling it a "gross interference in China's internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs." The Hong Kong government described the sanctions as 'despicable behavior' and acts of intimidation that 'clearly exposed the US's barbarity.' The state department's sanctions place restrictions on property ownership and financial dealings of the individuals in the United States. The US has already sanctioned dozens of other Chinese and Hong Kong senior officials, issuing travel bans and directives to freeze assets imposed in 2020 and 2021. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long an outspoken critic of China's human rights record, said that Monday's actions demonstrated the Trump administration's commitment to hold to account those responsible for restricting freedoms of people in Hong Kong and pursuing those based overseas. Advertisement Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a senior Fellow at The Jamestown Foundation in Washington, noted that while the sanctions were consistent with Rubio's stance toward China, President Trump himself has not publicly placed much emphasis on supporting human rights in the region. The Trump administration has drastically cut funds to organizations that have long given a voice to dissident communities in China and other countries, including Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. 'Trump himself doesn't have that much of an interest in what's happening in Tibet, in Xinjiang, and in Hong Kong,' Lam said. 'But it's just another card to play in the long-standing systemic competition with China.' This article originally appeared in
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
U.S. Sanctions Chinese and Hong Kong Officials for Pursuing Activists Abroad
The U.S. fired a new round of sanctions at China on Monday, targeting six high-level Chinese and Hong Kong officials over what it described as acts of transnational repression for their crackdown on pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and on U.S. soil. The move was the first significant step by the new Trump administration to pressure China over human rights in Hong Kong. The State Department said in a statement that the officials used the city's national security laws 'to intimidate, silence, and harass 19 pro-democracy activists who had been forced to flee overseas, including a U.S. citizen and four other U.S. residents.' The sanctioned officials included Dong Jingwei, China's top national security official in the city since 2023. In his previous role as China's vice minister of state security, Mr. Dong led the country's efforts to track dissidents and catch foreign spies. Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice Paul Lam and Police Commissioner Raymond Siu were also among the six officials within national security bodies and the police force who were sanctioned for their roles in 'coercing, arresting, detaining, or imprisoning' individuals under the national security law. In a national security crackdown since widespread unrest rocked the city in 2019, the Hong Kong authorities have jailed scores of opposition lawmakers, activists and others, including journalists, in the city. The state department also Monday released an annual report saying that the Hong Kong government had continued to use its broad national security laws to undermine human rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong, a criticism other Western countries have also made. It noted that, as recently as December, the Hong Kong government had offered bounties for information leading to the arrests of dissidents living overseas. Hong Kong activists in the United States welcomed the move. 'Many of us have endured relentless pressure and threats through transnational repression. It truly means a great deal to see the U.S. taking the lead in holding accountable the officials who orchestrated these actions,' Frances Hui, who was granted political asylum in the U.S., said in a statement on behalf of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation in Washington. Family members of overseas activists including Ms. Hui have been questioned in Hong Kong by its national security police. The Chinese embassy in Washington said in a statement that its enforcement of these laws, which were first imposed in 2020 in the aftermath of months of monthslong mass pro-democracy protests the year before, were 'just and necessary' to return stability and prosperity to the Chinese territory. It also condemned the sanctions, calling it a 'gross interference in China's internal affairs and Hong Kong affairs.' The Hong Kong government described the sanctions as 'despicable behavior' and acts of intimidation that 'clearly exposed the U.S.'s barbarity.' The state department's sanctions place restrictions on property ownership and financial dealings of the individuals in the United States. The U.S. has already sanctioned dozens of other Chinese and Hong Kong senior officials, issuing travel bans and directives to freeze assets imposed in 2020 and 2021. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, long an outspoken critic of China's human rights record, said that Monday's actions demonstrated the Trump administration's commitment to hold to account those responsible for restricting freedoms of people in Hong Kong and pursuing those based overseas. Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a senior Fellow at The Jamestown Foundation in Washington, noted that while the sanctions were consistent with Mr. Rubio's stance toward China, President Trump himself has not publicly placed much emphasis on supporting human rights in the region. The Trump administration has drastically cut funds to organizations that have long given a voice to dissident communities in China and other countries, including Voice of America and Radio Free Asia. 'Trump himself doesn't have that much of an interest in what's happening in Tibet, in Xinjiang and in Hong Kong,' Mr. Lam said. 'But it's just another card to play in the longstanding systemic competition with China.'
