"The Trump administration faces a dilemma," said Chang Ching, a retired Taiwan naval captain and researcher at the Taipei-based Society for Strategic Studies. "The Chinese navy is at least three decades behind the United States," a retired Chinese naval officer told Reuters, requesting anonymity. But they avoid overt shows of force that would increase the risk of clashes with modern Chinese warships and submarines. China's warships would be close to logistical support and the firepower of land-based missiles and strike aircraft. Two more arrived later from a subsequent order.Then China's naval shipyards started cranking.

Source: Economic Times April 30, 2019 11:03 UTC