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An “unsinkable” Chinese aircraft carrier is raising concerns in the United States, being seen as a direct threat to American naval supremacy.
After more than a decade of research, the China is developing an ambitious project that has caused unrest among world powers, especially in United States: the construction of floating nuclear reactors on artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea.
While the project may have commercial purposes, such as supporting oil exploration and providing power to remote areas, the military intentions behind these reactors are becoming increasingly evident.
Since 2016, China has made no secret of its claims that nuclear platforms, in addition to their civilian utility, will also be of great military advantage.
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In statements made by China National Nuclear Safety Administration, an artificial island with a nuclear platform would be “equivalent to a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier".
Equipped with combat aircraft and missile systems, this new type of military infrastructure would, according to the Chinese government, have a much greater superiority than the United States' long-range aircraft carrier fleet.
This statement may seem exaggerated to some, but defense experts recognize the gravity of the situation.
Robert Bunker, Ph.D. of strategic consultancy C/O Futures, points out that China’s ability to maintain a prolonged military presence with a continuous source of energy is a considerable advantage. “Having an infinite source of energy on a small artificial island gives the Chinese military a significant advantage", he said. In fact, these floating reactors as a kind of aircraft carrier represent a new and clear threat to the United States and other nations.
The South China Sea dispute
The South China Sea is a highly contested region. China, along with other nations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia, claims parts of the territory.
However, Chinese ambitions stand out for their scale. In 2009, the People's Republic of China claimed about 90% of the South China Sea, a position it maintains to this day despite international criticism and protests.
In recent years, China has stepped up its militarization of the region, building artificial islands and installing bases military on them. Starting in 2014, with the use of giant dredges, the country expanded existing islands and created new structures.
Although Beijing initially claimed the new islands would be for civilian use, that promise was quickly broken, giving way to a growing military infrastructure, including radars, missiles and aircraft landing strips.
Tensions have risen sharply in recent years. Chinese aircraft frequently fly dangerously close to military aircraft from the United States, Australia and other countries, leading to incidents that, according to Gregory Poling, a military expert South China Sea of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, are part of a deliberate strategy.
"The Pentagon was reporting a record number of interceptions of unsafe aircraft by China.”, Poling said, noting that the increase in incidents increases the chances of a collision “accidental“, which could lead to military escalation.
At sea, the situation is no less tense. China has been harassing Philippine fishing vessels with water cannons, lasers and dangerous maneuvers, in some cases resulting in collisions. Poling warns that a fatal incident could be the spark China needs to justify more aggressive military action in the region.
Floating Nuclear Reactors
The introduction of floating nuclear reactors in the South China Sea adds a new element to the conflict. These reactors provide abundant power to remote bases and are seen as a way to further cement China's presence in the region.
Michael Bluck, Ph.D. and head of the Nuclear Research Group at Imperial College London, points out that while China is moving forward with its floating reactor projects, Russia already has experience in this area with the Akademik Lomonosov, a floating reactor that has been operating in the Arctic since 2019.
However, China's new reactors, the ACPR50S and ACP100S prototypes, with capacities of 60 and 125 megawatts respectively, represent a significant technological advance. They use passive cooling systems, which reduce the risk of catastrophic failures and make the reactors safer compared to previous designs.
These plants are seen as an evolution in China's military capabilities. They were initially designed to support oil exploration in the South China Sea, but their military use has not gone unnoticed.
In 2016, the Chinese government announced that these plants would supply power to a series of island military bases, which would form the backbone of its operations in the region.
What makes these bases even more threatening is that with nuclear power, they become self-sufficient.
Unlike other types of energy, such as solar or wind, which have limitations, or diesel generators, which require constant refueling, nuclear reactors ensure that these bases can operate indefinitely. This also allows these bases to power energy-intensive systems, such as laser or microwave weapons, which could become essential in future wars.
Furthermore, the use of nuclear reactors as a power source creates a new type of challenge for potential attacks.
Any attack on a floating nuclear power plant involves the risk of radioactive contamination, making strike decisions more complicated and possibly riskier for the United States and other powers.
Robert Bunker notes that “any attack on a nuclear power plant effectively means that the attacker has 'gone nuclear' from a media narrative perspective".
Geopolitical consequences and future implications of islands with nuclear reactors
Although China's construction of floating reactors is still in the development phase, its geopolitical implications are already being felt. The creation of these bases strengthens China's position in the territorial dispute, consolidating control over the South China Sea.
Furthermore, the introduction of nuclear technology into the region increases the likelihood of armed conflict, whether due to an incident with another nation or simply increased tension between global powers.
Another important aspect to consider is the economic impact that floating reactor technology could have. Just as China has expanded its global presence with the construction of artificial islands and its fleet of dredgers, floating reactors could become a valuable commodity on the international market.
Gregory Poling points out that “disaster relief is an obvious use case” for these reactors, which could be used to provide temporary power in areas affected by natural disasters.
While the civilian use of floating reactors is beneficial to China, the military aspect is what worries Western powers.
As tensions rise in the South China Sea, the construction of fortified nuclear-powered military bases is further raising the political temperature in the region. Escalation of this conflict seems inevitable, and the international community is waiting to see how the United States and its allies will respond to the new challenge posed by China.
