China’s pursuit of naval dominance has faced a major setback after one of its newest nuclear submarines, part of the advanced Zhou-class, sank in a dock earlier this year. U.S. officials confirmed that the vessel went down in May or June at the Wuchang shipyard near Wuhan, the same city where the COVID-19 pandemic first emerged. The Chinese government has made no public acknowledgment of the incident, attempting to keep it under wraps.

Satellite imagery initially revealed irregularities in activity at the shipyard. Notably, floating cranes were observed moving around the site, which raised suspicions among experts like Thomas Shugart, a former U.S. submarine officer, who noted the unusual activity on social media. It was later confirmed that the nuclear-powered submarine had sunk while docked near a pier.

The incident has sparked significant concern regarding the competence and transparency of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Experts, including U.S. defense officials, have raised questions about training standards, equipment quality, and the internal accountability of the Chinese military, especially given the PLA’s history of corruption within its defense industry. The lack of information regarding potential environmental damage, such as radiation leaks, has also fueled concerns.

The submarine, which has since been salvaged, is expected to undergo lengthy repairs before it can be operational again. This delay is likely to hinder China’s plans to expand its nuclear submarine fleet, a key component of its broader strategy to challenge U.S. naval supremacy in the region. China currently has a fleet of six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, six nuclear-powered attack submarines, and 48 diesel-powered attack submarines, with ambitions to increase these numbers by 2035.

While China’s embassy in Washington has refrained from commenting on the matter, U.S. officials view the incident as a serious blow to China’s maritime aspirations. The loss of the Zhou-class submarine not only disrupts China’s timeline for expanding its naval capabilities but also raises broader concerns about the military’s operational readiness and oversight.

This incident could have lasting effects on China’s goal to achieve maritime superiority, especially in critical regions like the South China Sea and the waters surrounding Taiwan, where tensions with the U.S. remain high.