China most strategic location, Shantou Guandong.

From the map, you can see Shantou Guandong is guarding the bashi channel between Taiwan and Philippines.

Almost all US forces entering South China Sea from Japan bases or exiting South China Sea will pass through near Shantou, bashi channel or taiwan strait.

Shantou has a naval base but its hardly heard of. SSF you most heard is hainan Sanya but its too western side , too far away.

I think China should put Carrier CV 18 at Shantou , guarding the entrance. In case of conflict , it can quickly intercept US and its allies.

Additionally, a carrier force from there can quickly go to Taiwan south side and east side where it's less defended than the western side.

A number of times, US reconnaisance planes or B2 Bomber from Guam entering through Bashi channel and approaching China.

Also, if US submarines come in they also go through bashi channel. Chinese diesel subs can wait for them on the western side.

If China put major airforces , including J20 at Shantou, it should intercept US airforces from Guam.

China North and East fleet are too boxed in with limited mobility.

Hainan is too western side, away from the main stage.

Therefore , hands down, Shantou guarding the Bashi channel and near Taiwan, is China most strategic location. But people hardly talk about it.

I expect China to change that and put 1 or 2 carriers force there to guarding the entrance and exit of South China Sea,. Also including major air force and submarine force as well.

China will reclaim Dongsha island one day. Shantou and Dongsha connection one day is very important. More than Hainan SSF and Ningbo ESF.



Dongsha ring is much much than Mischief island , the largest for China South China Sea.
Its reclaimed, it would be like Wow,

Some of the pictures of Shantou

Currently, Shantou naval base is way too small. A small section next to the other commercial ports.

I think shantou is China most strategic location vis a vis Taiwan and US . Not Sanya, Not Ningbo, Not Dalian.

It needs major major overhaul... just like its semiconductor self sufficiency drive.

I agree, Shatou's proximity to the Taiwan Strait (natural chokepoint for sealanes of communications to Korea/East China) and Bashi Channel between Taiwan/Phillipines (natural chokepoint for Japan or access to WestPac blue waters) is a very strategic location.

China should also consider passive sonar sensors in these locations to detect submarines entering and exiting these critical chokepoints.

tidalwave said:

From the map, you can see Shantou Guandong is guarding the bashi channel between Taiwan and Philippines.

Almost all US forces entering South China Sea from Japan bases or exiting South China Sea will pass through near Shantou, bashi channel or taiwan strait.

Shantou has a naval base but its hardly heard of. SSF you most heard is hainan Sanya but its too western side , too far away.

I think China should put Carrier CV 18 at Shantou , guarding the entrance. In case of conflict , it can quickly intercept US and its allies.

Additionally, a carrier force from there can quickly go to Taiwan south side and east side where it's less defended than the western side.

A number of times, US reconnaisance planes or B2 Bomber from Guam entering through Bashi channel and approaching China.

Also, if US submarines come in they also go through bashi channel. Chinese diesel subs can wait for them on the western side.

If China put major airforces , including J20 at Shantou, it should intercept US airforces from Guam.

China North and East fleet are too boxed in with limited mobility.

Hainan is too western side, away from the main stage.

Therefore , hands down, Shantou guarding the Bashi channel and near Taiwan, is China most strategic location. But people hardly talk about it.

I expect China to change that and put 1 or 2 carriers force there to guarding the entrance and exit of South China Sea,. Also including major air force and submarine force as well.

Click to expand...

Shantou is a bad location for an airbase or naval base hosting high-value military units.
It's on the coast and only 350km from Taiwan, which is within range of missiles from Taiwan or elsewhere.

And for ships travelling at 20knots, the difference between Shantou and Hainan to the Bashi Strait is less than a day's sailing.
That is immaterial given warships are designed to operate for 14+ days.

Land-based fighters can be based deeper inland, and still have the range to reach Taiwan.
There's an estimate that China already has 1000 aircraft on airbases that can already operate against Taiwan. A large number of these have the range to operate further.

So there's no need for an aircraft carrier to be based there or operate there.

But Shantou looks like a good logistics point to support a Taiwan invasion, once the Chinese Air Force has air superiority.

AndrewS said:

Shantou is a bad location for an airbase or naval base hosting high-value military units.
It's on the coast and only 350km from Taiwan, which is within range of missiles from Taiwan or elsewhere.

And for ships travelling at 20knots, the difference between Shantou and Hainan to the Bashi Strait is less than a day's sailing.
That is immaterial given warships are designed to operate for 14+ days.

Land-based fighters can be based deeper inland, and still have the range to reach Taiwan.
There's an estimate that China already has 1000 aircraft on airbases that can already operate against Taiwan. A large number of these have the range to operate further.

So there's no need for an aircraft carrier to be based there or operate there.

But Shantou looks like a good logistics point to support a Taiwan invasion, once the Chinese Air Force has air superiority.

Click to expand...

Maybe not airforce base, liable to be bombed. But definitely carrier strike group and other naval assets.
A moving carrier is hard to hit.
Submarines and surface warships needed to quickly dispatch to intercept near Bashi entrance channel.

tidalwave said:

Maybe not airforce base, liable to be bombed. But definitely carrier strike group and other naval assets.
A moving carrier is hard to hit.
Submarines and surface warships needed to quickly dispatch to intercept near Bashi entrance channel.

Click to expand...

What do you expect to intercept in the Bashi channel?

Do we know the condition of the Shantou harbor/port/coast? Is it deep enough for big ships? how about the tidal conditions? Is it in the path of a lot of typhoons? Does the geographic near Shantou make it defendable?

Choosing a military base is much more complex than simply its strategic location. Guangdong province has been doing import/export business along its long coast line for centuries (at least Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties). That's almost 1000 years. Shantou has never been a major player. You got to wonder why no one has bothered to choose Shantou throughout the centuries. Shantou is emerging to become a bigger commercial port. However, militarily, it is a completely different matter. We need more info about Shantou, other than its location...

A good asset for PLASSF/PLARF. Will provide another vector for any contingentcy.

Does anyone know what is there currently?