China’s recent construction of a land-based nuclear reactor prototype signals its determination to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, elevating the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) from a regional force to a global challenger.

China’s PLA Navy already has the largest number of vessels in the world, and its vessels are also quite modern, with updated technology.

New satellite analysis reveals that China has developed a land-based prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship.

China's People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has been developing a powerful fleet of aircraft carriers, expanding to potentially six by the 2030s. But unlike the U.S., China's carriers aren’t designed for distant power projection;