BBC Confirm Stay: China navy job pressure noticed in new satellite tv for pc photographs in Philippine Sea

[ad_1] What's the Chinese language naval group doing within the Philippine Sea? revealed at 12:17 GMT 12:17 GMT

Joshua Cheetham BBC Confirm journalist

<img alt="A graphic showing three Chinese military ships - clockwise from right: Jiangkai II-class frigate; Luoma Hu replenishment ship; Yan'an cruiser" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/640/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5bc9edc8-10f2-43da-b89b-d61f2441acff.png.webp" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/240/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5bc9edc8-10f2-43da-b89b-d61f2441acff.png.webp 240w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/320/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5bc9edc8-10f2-43da-b89b-d61f2441acff.png.webp 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/480/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5bc9edc8-10f2-43da-b89b-d61f2441acff.png.webp 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5bc9edc8-10f2-43da-b89b-d61f2441acff.png.webp 624w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/800/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5bc9edc8-10f2-43da-b89b-d61f2441acff.png.webp 800w" width="1600" height="932" class="ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950"/> We’ve been chatting with consultants this morning concerning the group of Chinese language naval ships pictured within the Philippine Sea yesterday.

It’s at present unclear the place precisely these photos had been taken. The Philippine Sea spans greater than two million sq miles (5 million sq km) and borders Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Micronesia, and two US territories.

Mike Plunkett, senior naval platforms analyst at intelligence agency Janes, says the images present the vessels being replenished at sea. This includes the switch of gas, provides and ammunition from one ship to a different.

A better take a look at the picture exhibits a line operating between the cruiser Yan’an and replenishment ship Luoma Hu, says Plunkett.

He suggests the opposite ship seen within the satellite tv for pc picture - a Jiangkai II-class frigate - is on the brink of be part of the replenishment ship as properly.

<img alt="Annotated satellite imagery of the Chinese Hainan amphibious assault ship which is sailing away from the group of three described above" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/640/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5ba00ccc-5155-4e08-af7f-dc4c12eeb749.png.webp" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/240/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5ba00ccc-5155-4e08-af7f-dc4c12eeb749.png.webp 240w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/320/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5ba00ccc-5155-4e08-af7f-dc4c12eeb749.png.webp 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/480/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5ba00ccc-5155-4e08-af7f-dc4c12eeb749.png.webp 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/624/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5ba00ccc-5155-4e08-af7f-dc4c12eeb749.png.webp 624w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/800/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2025/12/4/5ba00ccc-5155-4e08-af7f-dc4c12eeb749.png.webp 800w" width="1600" height="784" class="ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950"/> In the meantime it’s doubtless the Hainan was shifting away from the group as a result of it had simply accomplished its personal replenishment, he says.

“All the above are normal operations for any first-rate navy and the Chinese language have been doing it efficiently for a few years,” Plunkett provides.

“The flexibility to replenish ships at sea signifies that navies are usually not tied to bases and may keep at sea for longer and additional away than would in any other case be the case.”