10-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Type 094 nuclear submarine is China's ‘King of the South China Sea' in bid for deterrence
Almost a decade has passed since the People's Liberation Army pulled the trigger on President Xi Jinping's plans for a massive overhaul of the world's biggest military. In the fifth of
a series on Chinese weapons systems, we look at the country's submarine developments.
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In the depths of the
South China Sea , a fully armed black giant glides through the waters – hidden yet ever prepared.
Its primary mission is to ensure any move towards nuclear aggression from China's possible enemies – including the United States – is met with devastating consequences.
The presence of the
Type 094 nuclear ballistic missile submarine marked a significant milestone, with the US defence department describing it as China's 'first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent'.
Beijing operates six of the submarines that are capable of firing JL-2 missiles, and possibly the more sophisticated JL-3 missiles that could strike US territory from Chinese shores.
The US and its allies closely monitor these giants, which have been observed conducting 'near-continuous' patrols in the contested South China Sea. In June, one of the Chinese subs, which appeared to be the Type 094, made headlines when it
surfaced unexpectedly in the Taiwan Strait – a rare and eye-catching event for such a secretive and strategic device.
