China's newly launched amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, transforms landing tactics and minimizes the enemy's ability to retaliate with its strong comprehensive combat capability, said a senior Chinese military expert on Friday.
Du Wenlong, the senior military expert, made the statement in an interview with China Central Television to comment on the country's first Type 076 new-generation amphibious assault ship which was launched in Shanghai earlier in the day.
The independently-developed warship has a full-load displacement of over 40,000 tons and features a dual-island superstructure along with a full-length flight deck. It also incorporates innovative electromagnetic catapult and arrestor technologies, enabling it to carry fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and amphibious equipment.
"With amphibious assault ships, particularly with formations consisting of Type 076 and Type 075, our landing tactics will become multidimensional. In the past, landings were made with tanks and other sea-crossing equipment charging onto the beach. Now, we have helicopters, drones, and carrier-based aircraft taking off from the deck to launch precise attacks. This marks a crucial transition from flat, one-dimensional landings to more advanced, multidimensional approaches," Du said.
The military expert also said that the warship has a longer range and ensures faster landing speed.
"Secondly, the speed of landings will increase significantly. In the past, there was a huge difference between the speed of ships and aircraft. If we can quickly exert strong military pressure on the enemy's coastline in a short period of time, especially in the depth of the front at the same time to exert strong military pressure, the intensity of our attack will be further increased. Besides, we can launch attacks from positions further away from the enemy's coastline, making it harder for them to retaliate. Many countries refer to operations that engage amphibious assault ships as operations beyond the horizon. Such a way of attack marks a big change from traditional landing operations," Du said.
As the new-generation amphibious assault ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, the Sichuan plays a key role in advancing the Navy's transformation and enhancing its combat capabilities in the far seas.
Following its launch, the ship will undergo a series of planned tests, including equipment commissioning, mooring tests, and sea trials.
The Navy unveiled its inaugural 075-class amphibious assault ship, the Hainan, in Shanghai back in 2019. The Hainan officially entered service in April 2021. Two more Type 075 amphibious assault ships, the Guangxi and the Anhui, have also been commissioned.
China's newly launched amphibious assault ship boasts enhanced landing capabilities: expert
Amid the rising fuel costs and airline surcharges linked to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Caribbean tourism officials gathered at the 44th Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Forum this month and expressed cautious optimism, citing resilient visitor demand, strategic marketing adjustments, and strong seasonal performance as foundations for continued recovery.
The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is already affecting Caribbean economies as fuel prices surge and airlines pass costs on to passengers. This not only pressures the region's tourism-dependent economies but also raises the cost of imported food, electricity, and transportation.
Since the start of the conflict, the price of Brent crude has surged nearly 50 percent, prompting airlines to find the ways to share the burden with travelers.
"The impacts are unfolding in stages. In the first place, when the uncertainty, or the disturbance occurred in the Middle Eastern region, it actually cut the supply chain to some extent to the Pacific, and people started to look at the region in particular. We amplified out marketing presence, to ensure that when people are looking for an option or places to rebook, that St. Lucia would turn up. And we've actually seen some of that result," said Louis Lewis, chief executive officer of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.
During the International Monetary Fund's Spring Meeting, the international financial institution expressed its concern for Caribbean tourism, warning that it could see a decline as ticket prices increase.
Lewis acknowledged the potential for longer-term disruption.
"The second thing is that if the conflict continues as a prolonged activity, we anticipate that it could impact us. We will have to diversify from our major source markets, hence the reason why we are looking at Latin America," he said.
But some of the region's top tourism officials are seeing positive signs. The region is coming off another successful year, where tourism arrivals grew by 2.5 percent, adding an additional 900,000 visitors over 2024.
"The region has been witnessing a very good winter season, and I have no doubt whatsoever that the forecast that we have for the summer will continue to be very strong," said Ian Gooding-Edghill, minister of tourism of Barbados.
Still, structural vulnerabilities remain. As an import-dependent region, the Caribbean is highly exposed to global price fluctuations. Concerns are mounting that rising prices in the United States could trigger sharper inflationary pressures, including higher operating costs in the tourism sector.
"In Saint Lucia, we just saw the cost of energy increase about 20 percent, and that's having an impact now going into the summer when our rates are lower. It rallies points to the importance of us building a bit more resilience into Caribbean tourism," said Sanovnik Destang, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
Caribbean tourism shows resilience despite Middle East tension challenges
