China Deploys World's Biggest Coast Guard Cutter CCG 3901 to Patrol South China Sea
Charissa Echavez | | May 12, 2017 03:31 AM EDT |
(Photo : YouTube) China sent world's biggest coast guard cutter into the South China Sea.
Beijing recently deployed the China Coast Guard (CCG) 3901 cutter, the largest in the world, into the South China Sea to protect the country's maritime rights, according to local government reports.
The vessel spent nearly three weeks patrolling islands claimed by Beijing, and its recent South China Sea tour marked its first official patrol since it was commissioned by the coast guard, the South China Sea division of China's State Oceanic Administration said.
Like Us on Facebook
"China prefers using its Coast Guard as the primary enforcer of its maritime claims," the Pentagon's Office of Naval Intelligence said as quoted by the Diplomat.
Dubbed as "the monster," the CCG 3901 cutter has a displacement of 12,000 tons and is bigger than the US Navy's Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. The ship is also heavily armed with 76 mm rapid fire guns, two auxiliary guns, and two anti-aircraft guns.
Meanwhile, just last month, photos of an alleged CCG Type 818 vessel equipped with the Type 630 30mm close-in weapon system made rounds across the Internet. It has also been reportedly armed with a 76mm PJ-26 naval gun and installed with two turrets to defend the ship against guided munitions and hostile aircrafts.
China has been rapidly enhancing its naval capabilities, and the China Coast Guard has significantly expanded in recent years. Since 2012, China has commissioned more than 100 ships into the coast guard.
Moreover, China has also heavily relied on its coast guard and maritime militia when protecting the disputed South China Sea, carrying out "gray zone aggression" against other claimants. The CCG 3901, however, still outmatches the patrol vessels of all other claimants of the contested waterways.
TagsChina Coast Guard, People's Liberation Army, CCG 3901 cutter, South China Sea, CCG Type 818, Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers, Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
©2015 Chinatopix All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission
EDITOR'S PICKS
-
Did the Trump administration just announce plans for a trade war with ‘hostile’ China and Russia?
-
US Senate passes Taiwan travel bill slammed by China
-
As Yan Sihong’s family grieves, here are other Chinese students who went missing abroad. Some have never been found
-
Beijing blasts Western critics who ‘smear China’ with the term sharp power
-
China Envoy Seeks to Defuse Tensions With U.S. as a Trade War Brews
-
Singapore's Deputy PM Provides Bitcoin Vote of Confidence Amid China's Blanket Bans
-
China warns investors over risks in overseas virtual currency trading
-
Chinese government most trustworthy: survey
-
Kashima Antlers On Course For Back-To-Back Titles
MOST POPULAR
LATEST NEWS
Zhou Yongkang: China's Former Security Chief Sentenced to Life in Prison
China's former Chief of the Ministry of Public Security, Zhou Yongkang, has been given a life sentence after he was found guilty of abusing his office, bribery and deliberately ... Full Article
TRENDING STORY
-
China Pork Prices Expected to Stabilize As The Supplies Recover
-
Elephone P9000 Smartphone is now on Sale on Amazon India
-
There's a Big Chance Cliffhangers Won't Still Be Resolved When Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Returns
-
Supreme Court Ruled on Samsung vs Apple Dispute for Patent Infringement
-
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Rumors and Release Date: What is the Latest?