According to the WeChat official account "People's Navy" released a message on the 7th, on May 6, the 2025 Asian International Maritime Defense Exhibition opened at the Changi Exhibition Center in Singapore. The Chinese Navy Missile Frigate Xuchang and the minesweeper Chishui Ship participated in the exhibition and arranged for the Xuchang Ship to be open to the public. Relevant military experts said in an interview with a Global Times that the Chinese Navy chose these two types of ships to participate in the exhibition because it took into account the comprehensive factors such as the geographical environment, marine and sea conditions near Singapore, and the maritime security threats faced by the region.

  ▲Scene picture source for the opening ceremony of the Asian International Maritime Defense Exhibition "People's Navy" WeChat

  The People's Navy said that the defense exhibition attracted more than 200 companies from dozens of countries and regions around the world to participate, and concentrated on displaying the latest maritime scientific and technological achievements in the fields of artificial intelligence technology, autonomous systems, ship-based weapon systems, ship power systems, etc.

  ▲Singapore official representative boarded the ship to visit the picture source "People's Navy" WeChat

  According to reports, the Xuchang ship is an independently designed and built 054A missile frigate in my country. It is equipped with a general vertical launch system and regional air defense weapons. It has strong warning detection and comprehensive combat capabilities such as opposite strait, sea, air, and anti-submarine. The Chishui Ship is a Type 082Ⅱ mine hunting and sweeping ship independently designed and built by my country. It has efficient mine sweeping and waterway support capabilities and is vividly called the "pioneer".

  ▲Xuchang ship image source "People's Navy" WeChat

  ▲Chishui Ship's image source "People's Navy" WeChat

  Military expert Zhang Junshe told the Global Times on the 7th that the Chinese Navy sent the Xuchang ship and the Chishui ship to participate in the Asia International Maritime Defense Exhibition with special considerations. First of all, the Xuchang ship has comprehensive combat capabilities such as air defense, anti-ship and cross-strait strikes, and has strong combat capabilities. It is the main combat ship of the Chinese Navy and also a star ship. Secondly, Chishui Ship has powerful mine hunting and mine-sweeping capabilities, which can detect mines in a timely and effective manner and carry out mine-sweeping operations. "At present, the Chinese Navy has many star ships, such as large surface combat ships such as 0.55 million tons of large destroyers and Type 075 amphibious assault ships. This event did not send large surface combat ships. It should have been determined after consultation between China and Singapore. It may be mainly due to considerations about the situation in the waters near Singapore, especially the Strait of Malacca: the average water depth of the Strait of Malacca is shallow, with an average depth of less than 30 meters, and the deepest is only 150 meters; the strait is also narrow, with a narrowest point of only 37 kilometers. Large ships sail here because of their deep draft and lack of flexibility in movement, and their maneuverability will be slow to deal with threats."

  Zhang Junshe introduced that both the Type 054A missile frigate and minesweeper can adapt to the sea conditions, marine environment and geographical environment of the Malacca Strait and can carry out combat operations in this area well.

  It is worth noting that during the 2023 Asian International Maritime Defense Exhibition, the Chinese Navy exhibited ships conducted the "China-Singapore Cooperation-2023" joint maritime exercise with the Singapore Navy, and jointly completed drills on anti-mine guidance, maritime supply space occupation, live-fire shooting of naval guns, joint search and rescue and medical evacuation.

  "The Chinese Navy's Type 054A missile frigate and minesweeper hunting ship have conducted exercises with the Singapore Navy, which fully demonstrates that these two types of ships adapt to the specific situation of the waters near Singapore and are reasonable arrangements for the characteristics of the Strait of Malacca." Zhang Junshe said that because the Strait of Malacca is narrow and easy to be blocked, if some armed forces use mines to block the strait, it will pose a great threat to this throat. The minesweeper can detect mines and perform minesweeping operations, which can better maintain maritime security.

  Zhang Junshe said that in fact, in the Strait of Malacca and nearby areas, criminal gangs such as terrorist attacks and pirates are rampant, and these two types of ships of the Chinese Navy can better deal with anti-terrorism, anti-piracy and other non-traditional security threats, and can better work with the new Navy, which is of positive significance to ensuring the smooth flow of international maritime passages. "my country has sent warships to participate in the International Maritime Defense Exhibition for peace, aiming to enhance mutual trust and cooperation with other countries," said the military expert.

[Editor in charge: Wang Jinzhi]