This is exactly the relative weakness (in firepower) of carousel autoloader tanks if I'm not mistaken. The sabot has to be shorter to make room for propellant. Chinese tanks are all rather weak in firepower compared to western and east asian counterparts. But superior to both Russian (except T-14) and Indian fielded tanks. Other neighbours barely have 3rd gen tanks in numbers reaching 100.
No matter the 125mm and extra barrel length for greater muzzle velocity, mass of sabot is relatively reduced with this sort of set up. PLA hasn't bothered to change this despite knowing NATO modernised MBTs have frontal armour that just cannot be penetrated at great distances. PLA still doesn't care because there are no NATO tanks in the region. Type 10 with only sub-50 tonnes of total weight would get obliterated front, side, any which way every shot every time a round lands. Sub-50 tonne tanks can go home because unless you have some advanced alien materials for armour there just ain't no way on earth you can make a sub-50 tonne take have good protection EQUAL to that of 60T behemoths like Chally 2x, M1A2xyz, Leo 2A5+.
Korea's K2 aren't a threat either because there are barely triple digits of them ... and there is a North Korea between China and South Korea if things somehow ever get to that point. As for Japan, Type 10 is a paper bag in protection not much better than 96A in pure frontal (better all round no doubt) I would say plus there's an ocean separating Japan and China from tank on tank. For everything else that is a concern... PLA land forces is 10x to 100x the size, considerably better funded and equipped and reasonably trained for central Asia, South Asia, South East Asia, and Russian threats... not that many or any of those nations are threatening.
