Photographs emerged last night that appeared to confirm fears in Washington that China is building a giant underground nuclear submarine base on a tropical island. Pentagon chiefs are worried that the secret base near Sanya on China's Hainan Island - which the Miss World beauty contests - could threaten Asian countries and America's dominance in the region.
The satellite images reveal a substantial newly-built harbour which could hold a large of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.
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Telltale: A satellite view of Sanya reveals signs of a submarine base, the Pentagon says
The pictures, obtained by respected military magazine Jane's Intelligence Review, have raised concerns that the Chinese have carved out a secret base straight out of the plot of a James Bond thriller.
They show vast tunnel entrances that are thought to lead to huge caverns capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines from spy satellites.
Sanya is a fast-developing holiday resort that has hosted the Miss World competition since 2003. It is on Hainan Island, which is about 160 miles from the coast of Vietnam.
Jane's Intelligence Review says the base has implications "for China's control of the South China Sea and the strategically vital straits in the area, and underlines Beijing's desire to assert tighter control over this region".
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Formidable: An 094 nuclear submarine like the one apparently seen in satellite imagery of Sanya harbour, which also shows Chinese warships, below, moored alongside a long jetty
One of the photos shows China's latest 094 nuclear submarine at the base.
U.S. Defence chiefs estimate China will have five of the 094 subs operational over the next two years, each capable of carrying twelve nuclear warheads.
Jane's said it would be "difficult to ignore" for America with the development coming so close to vital sea-lanes.
The secrecy around the build-up is likely to lead the U.S. to put more pressure on the Chinese to come clean with its plans and raises further questions about Beijing's relationship with the rest of the world in the run-up to the summer Olympics.
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Ominous: A tunnel entrance thought to lead to caverns that could hide many submarines. Below: A 2005 picture shows engineering and excavation barges working at the same spot
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ews.html?in_article_id=563405&in_page_id=1811
The satellite images reveal a substantial newly-built harbour which could hold a large of nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers.
Scroll down for more...
Telltale: A satellite view of Sanya reveals signs of a submarine base, the Pentagon saysThe pictures, obtained by respected military magazine Jane's Intelligence Review, have raised concerns that the Chinese have carved out a secret base straight out of the plot of a James Bond thriller.
They show vast tunnel entrances that are thought to lead to huge caverns capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines from spy satellites.
Sanya is a fast-developing holiday resort that has hosted the Miss World competition since 2003. It is on Hainan Island, which is about 160 miles from the coast of Vietnam.
Jane's Intelligence Review says the base has implications "for China's control of the South China Sea and the strategically vital straits in the area, and underlines Beijing's desire to assert tighter control over this region".
Scroll down for more...
One of the photos shows China's latest 094 nuclear submarine at the base.
U.S. Defence chiefs estimate China will have five of the 094 subs operational over the next two years, each capable of carrying twelve nuclear warheads.
Jane's said it would be "difficult to ignore" for America with the development coming so close to vital sea-lanes.
The secrecy around the build-up is likely to lead the U.S. to put more pressure on the Chinese to come clean with its plans and raises further questions about Beijing's relationship with the rest of the world in the run-up to the summer Olympics.
Scroll down for more...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...ews.html?in_article_id=563405&in_page_id=1811
