China constructed more than double the naval tonnage of the United States during 2024 and 2025, dramatically narrowing the gap between the world’s two largest navies, according to a new report from Euronaval released ahead of its 2026 defense exposition in Paris.
The World Defense Shipbuilding report documents China’s aggressive naval expansion at a time when American shipbuilding capacity has atrophied. While the U.S. Navy remains larger in total tonnage, China’s production advantage threatens to shift the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific within the next decade.
America’s Shrinking Shipbuilding Edge
The tonnage disparity reflects a broader industrial reality: China now operates the world’s largest shipbuilding industry, while American naval shipyards struggle with aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, and lengthy construction timelines. The gap matters because naval power in the Pacific depends not just on current fleet size but on the ability to rapidly replace losses and expand capacity during crisis.
China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy already operates the world’s largest fleet by hull count, with over 370 ships compared to the U.S. Navy’s 295. The latest production figures suggest Beijing intends to widen that advantage in both quantity and quality, launching sophisticated destroyers, aircraft carriers, and amphibious assault ships at a pace American yards cannot match.
What It Means for Taiwan and the Pacific
The naval buildup directly supports China’s stated intention to control Taiwan and dominate the South China Sea. A larger, more modern Chinese fleet complicates American defense commitments to Taiwan, Japan, and other Pacific allies who depend on U.S. naval superiority to deter Chinese aggression.
Pentagon planners have long warned about China’s shipbuilding advantage, but Congress has struggled to fund the 350-ship navy military leaders say they need. American shipyards, consolidated to just a handful of major facilities, lack the capacity to compete with China’s industrial scale even if funding increased dramatically.
The Euronaval report arrives as the next administration prepares to face critical decisions about naval expansion, shipyard modernization, and industrial policy. Without major investment in American shipbuilding capacity, the tonnage gap will likely continue widening through the end of the decade.
Key Points
- China built twice the naval tonnage of the United States during 2024-25, according to Euronaval’s defense shipbuilding report
- China already operates the world’s largest navy by hull count with 370 ships versus America’s 295
- U.S. shipbuilding capacity has declined to a handful of major yards unable to match Chinese industrial scale
https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2026/10/20/china-built-more-than-twice-naval-tonnage-of-us-in-2024-25-euronaval/ – October 20, 2026
