Russia says the US doesn't have any reason to worry about the nuclear submarine and the massive warship its navy has cruising off the coast of Cuba
Business InsiderJun 01
Report: China's New Nuclear Submarine Sinks at Shipyard
Above: Research vessel Shenhai Yihao carrying China's Jiaolong deep-sea manned submersible arrives at a pier in Tsim Sha Tsui on Sept. 24, 2024 in Hong Kong. Image copyright: Hou Yu/Contributor/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
The Facts
China's most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine sank alongside a pier at the Wuchang Shipyard in late May or early June, a senior US defense official said Thursday.
The first of Beijing's Zhou-class line of submarines, the vessel was reportedly designed to stalk and attack ships and escape undetected, and was undergoing preparations for its first sea trials at the time of the sinking.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
The mysterious sinking of a nuclear submarine is a stunning setback for China's naval ambitions. This fiasco has not only exposed potential flaws in China's rapidly expanding military program, but has also raised concerns about safety standards and accountability within the nation's defense industry. This could potentially go as far as to scupper China's maritime aspirations.
Pro-China narrative
These reports are merely US propaganda. China has displayed breathtaking maritime ambition in recent decades, and has swiftly evolved from a coastal defense force to a formidable blue-water fleet. Washington fears Beijing's evolving naval prowess, and is spreading rumors to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific security landscape.