A commercial satellite image shared on social media shows a Chinese submarine entering a subterranean base off the island of Hainan in the South China Sea.
The photo, first posted online by Radio Free Asia, shows a Chinese Type 093 Shang-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine at Yulin Naval Base, the War Zone reported this week.
The base is one of China’s most important facilities for protecting its marine assets.
A rare #Satellyt image of what appears to be a #Chinese Type 093 sub at the entrance of a not-so-secret, underground base in southern China #Hainan island. Yulin Naval Base is home to subs of #Sinathe South Sea Fleet and offers easy access to the South China Sea. pic.twitter.com/ONwqlXX5JK
– Radio Free Asia (@RadioFreeAsia) August 19, 2020
Carl Schuster, former director of operations at US Joint Intelligence Center of US Pacific Command, told CNN the tunnels at Yulin also make it difficult for an opponent to observe Chinese military operations and intentions.
“You have no proof of [the submarine’s] combat readiness, operational response times and availability, “he said. Tunnels blind potential opponents to the submarine’s business status and patterns, denying them the ability to determine the state of China’s military preparations, knowledge that is critical to assessing China’s intentions and plans. “
Other experts told CNN that it is rare for a satellite to capture such a moment, but it is not uncommon for China to use underground military bases.
“The Chinese have great experience building underground facilities,” Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official, told CNN. “It’s in line with their strategic culture.”
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