The arrival of the Chinese naval ship on Nicaragua's Pacific coast coincides with an increasing presence of the U.S. military in the Caribbean, including the deployment of an aircraft carrier group, aimed at pressuring Venezuela over narcotics trafficking.

China began sea trials of its most advanced amphibious assault ship on Friday, only a week after commissioning its latest aircraft carrier as part of the rapid modernization of its navy, which is already the world's largest.

The Sichuan Type 076 features electromagnetic catapult systems, 40,000-ton displacement and full-length flight deck for drone and marine operations testing.

The Type 076 vessel is the world's first amphibious warship equipped with an electromagnetic catapult for launching aircraft.

China's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, returns to the shipyard after completing its maiden sea trial on Nov. 16, 2025. The Sichuan returned to the shipyard in Shanghai at around 5 p.m. Sunday after completing its maiden sea trial. (Photo by Zhang Liang/Xinhua)

Extended flight deck makes Type 076 one of the world's largest vessels of its kind, with PLA Navy delivery expected by end of 2026

The Chinese Type 076 amphibious carrier Sichuan, equipped with an electromagnetic catapult, has today left Shanghai for her first sea trial.

China sent Coast Guard ships near disputed islands and warned travelers and students about safety risks in Japan. The escalation is over comments on Taiwan by Japan’s new prime minister.

Under the “Zhenhai Project”, Taiwan plans to acquire frigates that will have electronically scanned array radar. These vessels are likely to have an excellent command and cont