China is still a regional power and will continue to be until they are able to establish a true blue water navy and long range strike capability. China is well behind the US in those respects. Here are some comparisons between the US and China.
US Navy
12 SuperCarriers each carrying 80 aircraft
11 Amphibious Assault VSTOL carriers each carrying a mix of over 20 fixed wing and rotary aircraft plus a marine detatchment of over 1500 men
48 9,000 ton Arleigh Burke Destroyers which are among the best destroyers in the world and are equipped with the AEGIS system
23 10,000 ton Ticonderoga class cruisers also eqipped with AEGIS and among the best in the world
14 Ohio class SSBN each among the quietest in the world
49 Los Angeles class SSN also among the best in the world
3 Seawolf class SSN which are even better then the Los Angeles
Currently introducing the Virginia class SSN which is the most advanced submarine to date
Chinese Navy
Currently researching an aircraft carrier
Has no LHD type ships but is currently planning to build them
Has 25 destroyers 16 are outdated Luda class the others are decent but except for the 1 Luzhou class ship all are significantly inferior to the Arleigh Burke. They do however have plans for more Luzhou's to enter service in the near future.
Possesses over 40 frigates but only 12, 10 of them of the Jiangwei II class would even be acceptable (and then barely)to western standards. The other two frigates are of the Jiangkai class and can be compared to the French LaFayette class in performance. However they are not as stealthy as LaFayette.
They currently have 5 Han class SSN which although inferior to western attack submarines are still very capable boats
They are building a new class of SSN the Shang class which may be comparable to some of the older Los Angeles class submarines
They have more then 30 Romeo class diesel electric boats which are totally obsolete.
There 15 or so Ming class diesel electric boats are an improvment on the Romeo's but still largely inferior to any similar western boats.
The 12 Song class are the first Chinese diesel electric boats to have a teardrop hull and be considered "modern"
The Yuan class is an improvment on the Song 2 are in service with more on the way
They also have 2 Kilo class which are known to be quiet as well as 2 imporved Kilos and 8 more imroved Kilos on the way.
They have 1 Xia class SSBN which only operates on Coastal waters as it would have no chance against western attack submarines in the open ocean.
The launching of the type 94 SSBN which is an improvment over the Xia class gives the Chinese Navy an effective and somewhat quiet SSBN that will be a major improvment to the Chinese long range strike capability.
As for there long range strike capability although it would improve if they managed to aquire the TU-22M backfire bomber would still be limited.
China is so far behind the US in terms of naval power which still determines the status of a nation (i.e. regional power, great power, super power ect.) The fear of China holding a dominant position strategically anytime soon is completely unfounded
US Navy
12 SuperCarriers each carrying 80 aircraft
11 Amphibious Assault VSTOL carriers each carrying a mix of over 20 fixed wing and rotary aircraft plus a marine detatchment of over 1500 men
48 9,000 ton Arleigh Burke Destroyers which are among the best destroyers in the world and are equipped with the AEGIS system
23 10,000 ton Ticonderoga class cruisers also eqipped with AEGIS and among the best in the world
14 Ohio class SSBN each among the quietest in the world
49 Los Angeles class SSN also among the best in the world
3 Seawolf class SSN which are even better then the Los Angeles
Currently introducing the Virginia class SSN which is the most advanced submarine to date
Chinese Navy
Currently researching an aircraft carrier
Has no LHD type ships but is currently planning to build them
Has 25 destroyers 16 are outdated Luda class the others are decent but except for the 1 Luzhou class ship all are significantly inferior to the Arleigh Burke. They do however have plans for more Luzhou's to enter service in the near future.
Possesses over 40 frigates but only 12, 10 of them of the Jiangwei II class would even be acceptable (and then barely)to western standards. The other two frigates are of the Jiangkai class and can be compared to the French LaFayette class in performance. However they are not as stealthy as LaFayette.
They currently have 5 Han class SSN which although inferior to western attack submarines are still very capable boats
They are building a new class of SSN the Shang class which may be comparable to some of the older Los Angeles class submarines
They have more then 30 Romeo class diesel electric boats which are totally obsolete.
There 15 or so Ming class diesel electric boats are an improvment on the Romeo's but still largely inferior to any similar western boats.
The 12 Song class are the first Chinese diesel electric boats to have a teardrop hull and be considered "modern"
The Yuan class is an improvment on the Song 2 are in service with more on the way
They also have 2 Kilo class which are known to be quiet as well as 2 imporved Kilos and 8 more imroved Kilos on the way.
They have 1 Xia class SSBN which only operates on Coastal waters as it would have no chance against western attack submarines in the open ocean.
The launching of the type 94 SSBN which is an improvment over the Xia class gives the Chinese Navy an effective and somewhat quiet SSBN that will be a major improvment to the Chinese long range strike capability.
As for there long range strike capability although it would improve if they managed to aquire the TU-22M backfire bomber would still be limited.
China is so far behind the US in terms of naval power which still determines the status of a nation (i.e. regional power, great power, super power ect.) The fear of China holding a dominant position strategically anytime soon is completely unfounded
