An embarrassment for China? US says Chinese nuclear-powered submarine sank earlier in 2024

A senior United States (US) defence official said on Thursday (Sept 26) that China'snewest nuclear-powered attacksubmarinesank earlier this year, a potentialembarrassment for Beijing as it seeks to expand its military capabilities.

Speaking to the news agency Reuters, the official said thatChina's new first-in-class nuclear-powered attacksubmarinesank alongside a pier sometime between May and June. The official chose to remain anonymous.

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'No information to provide'

Reacting to the comments made by the senior US defence official, a Chinese embassy spokesperson in the US said that Beijing had no information to provide.

"We are not familiar with the situation you mentioned and currently have no information to provide," the embassy spokesperson told Reuters and pointed outit was not clear what caused it to sink or whether it had nuclear fuel on board at the time.

"In addition to the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA's (People's Liberation Army)internal accountability and oversight of China's defence industry - which has long been plagued by corruption," the spokesperson added.

As of 2022, China had six nuclear-powered ballistic missilesubmarines, six nuclear-powered attacksubmarines and 48 diesel-powered attacksubmarines, according to a Pentagon report on China's military.

Thatsubmarineforce is expected to grow to 65 by 2025 and 80 by 2035, the USDefense Department has said.

Taiwan reacts to submarine sinking

Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said authorities "have a grasp of the situation through multiple intelligence and surveillance methods", but did not elaborate.

Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, keeps a close watch on the latter's military activities.

(With inputs from agencies)