China Builds Full-Scale US Destroyer Replica in Taklamakan Desert for Military Drills

Satellite images have revealed that China has constructed a full-scale 155-meter replica of a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the Taklamakan Desert, located in Xinjiang province. The detailed model includes key features such as deck guns, a command bridge, and helicopter launch systems, mirroring the actual American warship. This discovery was first reported last month by Joseph Wu, co-founder of Taiwan Security Studies Initiative.

This is not the first time China has built such replicas in the region; in 2021, models of an aircraft carrier and two additional destroyers were identified in the same desert. Experts warn that these models allow the Chinese military to conduct controlled attack simulations against US naval vessels, testing how American ships might respond to Chinese missile strikes in potential future conflicts.

Beijing officials have not commented on the purpose of these replicas. However, reports indicate that the Chinese military has also constructed models of Taiwanese government buildings as part of extensive military exercises. These developments come amid rising tensions over Taiwan, with Chinese President Xi Jinping declaring Taiwan's reunification a top national priority. Such military preparations raise concerns about a possible direct confrontation between China and the United States, which has repeatedly warned against any Chinese invasion of Taiwan.