China humiliated after accidentally sinking its own nuclear submarine
China has been caught trying to cover up an embarrassing blunder after its newest nuclear-powered submarine sank into the harbour while under construction.
Beijing officials spent months attempting to hide the accident, until it was finally discovered by US satellite photography.
The sinking of the Zhou-class sub represents a major setback for Beijing, who have become increasingly assertive in its claims over the South China Sea in recent years, which is crucial to international trade.
It is thought the newly-built sub, easily identifiable by its distinctive X-shaped stern, sunk sometime in late May or early June while undergoing tests.
Although it is not known whether nuclear material was onboard the ship, experts have suggested it is highly likely, the Wall Street Journal reports.
US officials said Beijing is yet to sample the water for raised radiation levels and has not ruled out the possibility that military personnel or those working on board were killed during the accident.
The satellite images show what appears to be a submarine docked at the Shuangliu shipyard on the Yangtze River, near Wuhan, before the incident.
A later image taken on June 15 appears to show the submarine either fully or partially submerged just under the river’s surface, with rescue equipment and cranes surrounding it.
Cranes were mobilised to salvage the wreckage, but the setback will require a major refit and will take months to clean the now-waterlogged electronics.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington claimed it was ‘not familiar with the situation’ when asked about the accident on Thursday and said it did not have any information to provide.
A senior US defence official told The Wall Street Journal: ‘It’s not surprising that the PLA Navy would try to conceal the fact that their new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank pierside.
‘In addition to the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defence industry, which has long been plagued by corruption.’
Brent Sadler, a former submarine officer at Washington’s Heritage Foundation think tank, called the sinking ‘significant’ with it slowing down China’s plans to expand its nuclear submarine fleet.
China has the largest navy in the world, and is frequently engaged in maritime disputes with neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam- all of which hold territorial claims to the area.
The Pentagon assessed in 2020 that China has a battle force of around 350 ships and submarines, including more than 130 major surface combatants.
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