Forces: January 13, 2005

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The Chinese navy is actually a rather large organization, especially when ships of various reserve organizations are mobilized in wartime. This gives the navy a strength of over four thousand ships and amphibious craft (those larger than a LCVP). This fleet includes 391 commercial ferries, 1,156 merchant vessels, 272 support ships, 1,076 amphibious vessels, 895 patrol vessels, 282 large patrol craft, 70 major warships (25 destroyers and 45 frigates) and 85 submarines (including 23 older ones laid up in reserve, but still capable of being mobilized.) The fleet is distributed between three fleets; North (22 percent), East (facing Taiwan, 44 percent) and South (34 percent). The Chinese navy is big on ships that can carry things, which is why Taiwan treats the threat of an amphibious invasion from China seriously. 

 

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