On Friday, Japan recorded an unusual event: a Chinese Dakai—class rescue vessel passed through the Tsushima Strait, a narrow waterway between Japan and Korea, for the first time. This is a submarine support vessel, and its appearance in this region has raised many questions.
According to Japanese officials, this is the first time that such a Chinese vessel has been spotted in these waters. Previously, Chinese submarines and their accompanying ships passed through here, but it is the rescue vessel that is a new phenomenon.
Why is it there? Vessels of the Dakai type are needed for emergency operations, for example, to help a sunken submarine or to carry out maintenance at sea. Their appearance may mean that China is expanding the area of operations of its submarine forces — perhaps further east, into the Sea of Japan and even closer to the Pacific Ocean.
This is an alarming signal for Japan and South Korea. The Tsushima Strait is a strategically important route, and the increase in Chinese military activity here indicates the growth of Beijing's ambitions at sea.
So far, China has not explained the purpose of the campaign, but the fact remains: its fleet is becoming bolder. And now the neighbors will keep their eyes open, especially when a vessel capable of lifting a submarine from the bottom enters the strait.
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