The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) saw 18 new warships join its ranks in 2016, of which 10 went to the understrength People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force (PLANSF) whose imposing job will be to combat the far more powerful U.S. Navy in any conflict in Asia over the next few years.

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Of the 10 warships commissioned into the PLANSF, one is a Type 052D guided missile destroyer; three are Type 054A guided missile frigates and six are Type 056 corvettes.

These surface warships plus the eight other auxiliary ships have a total displacement of 150,000 tons, or about half of the overall displacement of the Royal Navy, said the PLAN.

PLANSF consists of slightly more than 100 warships, including a China's only aircraft carrier, the CNS Liaoning (CV-16). PLAN, however, classifies Liaoning as a "training carrier" whose main task is training the naval and aircrews that will man its second and third aircraft carriers.

The Liaoning with its 20 to 25 Shenyang J-15 multirole fighters is no match for a single U.S. Navy Nimitz-class destroyer such as the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) now patrolling Asia. The Reagan operates over 40 Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet strike fighters.

There are currently three U.S. Navy carrier air groups operating in Asia.

PLAN is in the midst of a massive shipbuilding campaign and in 2016, built one naval corvette every six weeks.

In September and October, China launched three Type 056 corvettes (Jiangdao-class), bringing to 39 the total number of corvettes in PLANSF, and making this class the most numerous surface warships in the PLAN.

Of this total, 27 are in active service patrolling littoral or near shore waters off the Chinese mainland. PLANSF plans to have at least 60 of these small but heavily armed warships with most being equipped for surface warfare (Type 056) and the rest for anti-submarine warfare (Type 056A).

In addition to new warships, PLAN also received a new commanding officer.

Last week, Vice-Admiral Shen Jinlong was promoted Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy. He is now the man whose shoulders will bear the burden of responsibility in any war against the United States over the South China Sea.

Admiral Shen, who is only 60, was formerly Commander of the South Sea Fleet responsible for enforcing China's policies affecting the South China Sea. He succeeded Admiral Wu Shengli, 71, who is retiring.

TagsPeople's Liberation Army Navy, People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force, U.S. Navy, CNS Liaoning, USS Ronald Reagan