China's New Nuclear Submarine Sinks: Potential Embarrassment for Beijing

China's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank earlier this year, raising questions about the quality and safety of its military capabilities. The incident, revealed by a U.S. defense official, casts a shadow on China's naval advancements and its defense industry's integrity. Taiwan's surveillance and recent U.S.-China military talks highlight regional tensions.

China's latest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank earlier this year, a senior U.S. defense official announced on Thursday. This incident poses a potential embarrassment for Beijing as it aims to expand its military capabilities.

Despite having the largest navy globally, with over 370 ships, China's new first-in-class nuclear submarine reportedly sank between May and June. Speaking under anonymity, the U.S. official disclosed that the cause of the sinking and whether the submarine carried nuclear fuel remain unclear, highlighting lapses in China's training standards and equipment quality. James Char, a China defense expert, emphasized that this mishap raises concerns over production and safety standards. Taiwan's defense minister confirmed that authorities had monitored the situation through multiple intelligence methods.

The sinking incident has magnified concerns over the integrity and oversight within China's defense industry, notorious for corruption. Satellite images from June show cranes at Wuchang shipyard where the submarine was docked, coinciding with reports of a surfaced Chinese nuclear submarine in the Taiwan Strait. This comes amid China's successful launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile and recent U.S.-China military talks aimed at reducing regional tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)