The Navy's New Numbers Game: China's Type 052D Destroyers and the Taiwan Paradox The recent display of a Chinese Type 052D destroyer launching a hypersonic anti ship missile has sent shockwaves through naval circles, particularly in light of its potential implications for a hypothetical conflict in the Taiwan Strait.
This development reveals a significant escalation in China's long range strike capabilities. The Type 052D is not an entirely new player on the world stage; over two hundred vessels have been built to date.
However, the successful test firing of a YJ 20 missile from one of these ships marks a notable shift in the balance of power in the western Pacific.