Top US admiral says he's watching China's rapid naval buildup closely

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TOKYO (AP) — The top U.S. admiral on Monday called China 's shipbuilding capability “impressive” as Beijing moves ahead with a rapid buildup of the world's largest navy, and said America's cooperation with Asian allies South Korea and Japan is essential for its own shipbuilding capability.

“How they utilize those aircraft carriers globally is, of course, a concern of mine,” Adm. Daryl Caudle said in Japan, part of his 10-day tour of the Asia-Pacific.

China on Nov. 7 commissioned its latest aircraft carrier, Fujian, and began sea trials of its most advanced amphibious assault ship a week. China’s navy already has more ships than the U.S. Navy, but it has fewer aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships and other key vessels.

“We watch that very closely and see what they're going to do there,” Caudle said of the amphibious assault ship. “That's a large ship, very capable."

But he added: "When you’ve got a lot of friends and allies, we have a pretty large, combined force ourselves,” noting the capability of Japan, South Korea, Australia and other partners in the region.

His visit to Tokyo comes as Japan’s conservative new prime minister has stirred tensions with China by suggesting a Chinese move against Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response.

Earlier Monday, Caudle visited the U.S. Navy base of Yokosuka and a local shipbuilding facility. “What we are willing to do with Japan and South Korea is to bolster U.S. shipbuilding," he said.

He also called a plan for South Korea under a recent agreement with the U.S. to have a nuclear-powered submarine “very nascent."

Japan has also expressed interest in developing a nuclear-powered submarine, though that may face public resistance in a country that suffered atomic bombings and has non-nuclear principles.