- [Narrator] The tropical island of Hainan is known
as China's Hawaii,
but behind its pristine beaches hides a secret.
On this hill above a luxury hotel
is a surface to air missile site
guarding two of China's most important naval facilities,
Yulin and Longpo.
In recent years, Beijing has begun dramatically expanding
the two bases to accommodate a growing fleet of vessels
and to provide a home for China's new
seaborne nuclear deterrent.
What's happening on Hainan Island
reveals how China plans to challenge US naval supremacy
and how it's preparing for a possible war over Taiwan.
Alexander Neal is a former defense analyst
for the British government.
- Nainan a very important location strategically.
that also offers geographical projection
for the people's liberation army into the South China Sea
region submarines,
which can follow down this channel into the really deep
parts of the South China Sea,
which allow for difficulty in detection.
- [Narrator] Satellite images show significant work
to expand the facilities in Hainan.
Additional piers have been built
allowing up to 12 submarines to dock at the base.
- The ability to replenish, resupply
and re-arm these submarines is really a significant
development in a very short period of time.
The number of nuclear submarines
that China wields is beginning to look along the sort
of capabilities that the United States, France,
and the UK has.
- [Narrator] The base is also equipped with a large facility
to service China's nuclear submarines.
An entrance into the mountain up to 60 feet high
can be seen here leading to what is thought to be a weapons
loading facility.
- We can actually see an overhead view
of a nuclear submarine that's being coaxed into the tunnel.
So we have two tugboats here positioning the submarine.
It's a very interesting feature of the Longpo naval base
and very significant attempt at protecting China's seaborne
nuclear deterrent.
- [Narrator] A wider look at the area shows there's a system
thought to transport weapons across the base
to arm the submarines.
- The tunnel facility entrance here
and the underground submarine base inside this mountain.
And then you have a tunnel entrance here
and it's thought that at some point along this railroad
warheads and missiles will be loaded
onto some kind of rail car and it's concealed obviously
because the PLA doesn't want adversary to know
when and how they are arming their nuclear submarines.
(speaking in foreign language)
- [Narrator] The Pentagon now believes
that at least one nuclear armed submarine is on constant
in the South China Sea.
And they could be armed with China's latest
submarine launched ballistic missile, JL-3.
- The submarines could penetrate the first island chain
and launch from the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean
and hit the Eastern seaboard of the United States.
- [Narrator] China says it keeps its nuclear capabilities
at the minimum level required by national security
and has pledged not to use nuclear weapons first.
China has made significant infrastructure upgrades
to the basis in Hainan
to accommodate different types of vessels.
Satellite imagery shows an extensive facility
to repair ships known as a dry dock
being built in recent years.
- We see the scale of the dry dock.
We see a number of vessels in the smaller dry dock,
and then the infrastructure
around the dry dock itself beginning to come into shape.
- [Narrator] The dry dock is about 1500 feet long.
That's enough room to accommodate
any of China's three aircraft carriers,
including its latest, the Fujian, which is over 1000 feet.
This dry dock is part of a wider infrastructure expansion
of the base.
The upgrades allow China to arm repair
and dock dozens of warships quickly.
- You have the wharf along here.
This is a new wharf being built.
We have the expanded military base here
and a highway connecting them all along this coastline.
And in addition, this very large weapon storage facility
connected up under the mountain with this naval base here
as well as with the dry dock here.
- [Narrator] The infrastructure upgrades seen in Hainan
are designed to support China's expanding naval fleet.
China has now overtaken the US as the world's largest navy
with more than 370 vessels.
This is projected to grow to 435 by 2030.
The US has about 296 vessels
and the Navy plans to increase this number to over 300
by the early 2030s.
China is also using the base in Hainan as a testing ground
for new technology.
(speaking in foreign language)
In 2019, Beijing for the first time openly unveiled
their HSU-001 underwater drone.
Analysts have spotted unidentified
underwater drones at the yulin base.
- We see a couple of unmanned underwater vehicles
on the key side here being partially concealed
by retractable covers.
But it's interesting that this kind
of weaponry is being developed at yulin naval base
and is indicative of the PLA Navy's requirement
to substantially increase its unmanned
underwater capabilities.
The development of these UUVs is all part
of Xi Jinping's drive
to ensure that he has a modern fighting force capability
at parity with that of the United States.
Within a decade or so.
- [Narrator] China is not only expanding its naval bases
at home for the first time,
it's establishing a new naval outpost in Southeast Asia.
In 2019, China signed a secret agreement
allowing its armed forces to use part of the ream naval base
in Cambodia.
- And ream naval base is strategically important
for the PLA in the sense that it has the ability
to mount patrols in the Gulf of Thailand in this area,
but also to patrol the Southern portion
of the South China Sea
is yet another sign of China's ambitions
to saturate the South China Sea with a naval presence.
- [Narrator] Since the deal was signed,
there have been significant upgrades
including a new pair that is long enough
to accommodate a Chinese aircraft carrier.
- The base in general is starting to look like
Chinese naval bases in Hainan
- [Narrator] China denied allegations
that it's taking control of the base,
but new satellite imagery shows two Chinese vessels
docked at the pier.
The ships can be seen in photos posted
by Cambodia's defense minister in December.
The vessels remain docked at the base for months.
Beijing says their deployment is not permanent
and that it is helping to upgrade the base
at Cambodia's request.
- These Corvettes will be able to patrol out
into the Southern reaches of the South China Sea.
So it's soaking up US Navy time
and effort in monitoring the activities
of the PLA navy at the ream naval base.
- [Narrator] The US State Department said
it has serious concerns about China's plans
for the ream naval base.
Defense analysts say,
although conflict over Taiwan is not considered imminent,
China's new outpost in Cambodia
and its expansion in Hainan formed part
of its preparations for war.
- The United States asks if China has expressed
peaceful goals for development across the region.
What is all this huge expenditure aimed at?
The answer that many people fear
may come to fruition is an invasion of Taiwan
or some kind of escalation in the Taiwan Strait
that could result in unmanaged conflict.
- [Narrator] In a statement, China's Ministry
of Foreign Affairs said Taiwan is part of China's territory
and that it opposes the island's independence.