# Type 076 Sichuan

Naval Chess in the South China Sea: Beijing Deploys ‘Super Fleet’ to Counter Multilateral Drills

China has deployed a massive naval task force centered on the carrier Liaoning and the new electromagnetic-catapult-equipped Sichuan to the South China Sea. This move directly counters the 2026 US-Philippines Balikatan exercises, which have expanded to include Japanese and French forces.