China’s newest warship Qinzhou has completed a dramatic live-fire drill just days after joining the PLA Navy’s Southern Theater Command. The stealth frigate Type 054B, hull number 555, was seen in state media footage sinking a target using its main gun and close-in weapon system. This marks Beijing’s bold push to expand naval dominance in disputed waters. As tensions rise, military analysts say the ship’s firepower and far-seas capabilities fit China’s long-term strategy to control critical trade routes and deter rivals in the South China Sea.
