Navy comparison: China vs France
China's 1036-ship navy outnumbers France's 138 vessels (7.5x advantage). Of these, 1023 and 133 are in active service respectively. The fleet breakdown includes 73 vs 9 submarines, 3 vs 1 aircraft carriers, 58 vs 10 destroyers, 47 vs 12 frigates, 50 vs 0 corvettes, 107 vs 3 amphibious ships, 94 vs 26 patrol boats, 58 vs 19 mine warfare ships (China vs France). China's navy is officially the People's Liberation Army Navy, while France's is the French Navy.
People's Liberation Army Navy 🇨🇳
| Official Name | People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Total ships | 1036 as of 2025 |
| Active ships | 1023 as of 2025 |
| Naval Ensign |
|
French Navy 🇫🇷
| Official Name | French Navy |
| Total ships | 138 as of 2025 |
| Active ships | 133 as of 2025 |
| Naval Ensign |
|
Chinese ships by category
| Ship category | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Submarines | 73 | |
| Aircraft carriers | 3 | |
| Destroyers | 58 | |
| Cruisers | 0 | |
| Frigates | 47 | |
| Corvettes | 50 | |
| Coastal boats | 0 | |
| Patrol boats | 94 | |
| Amphibious ships | 107 | |
| Mine Warfare ships | 58 | |
| Cargo ships | 27 | |
| Support ships | 468 | |
| Other ships | 51 | |
French ships by category
| Ship category | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Submarines | 9 | |
| Aircraft carriers | 1 | |
| Destroyers | 10 | |
| Cruisers | 0 | |
| Frigates | 12 | |
| Corvettes | 0 | |
| Coastal boats | 0 | |
| Patrol boats | 26 | |
| Amphibious ships | 3 | |
| Mine Warfare ships | 19 | |
| Cargo ships | 0 | |
| Support ships | 58 | |
| Other ships | 0 | |
Ship Categories Radar Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more naval ships, China or France?
China has a larger navy with 1,036 ships compared to France's 138 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, China or France?
China operates more submarines with 73 compared to France's 9.
Which country has more aircraft carriers, China or France?
China has 3 aircraft carrier(s) compared to France's 1.
Which navy has more destroyers, China or France?
China operates 58 destroyers compared to France's 10.
Which navy has more frigates, China or France?
China operates 47 frigates compared to France's 12.
How do the China and France navies compare in size?
China's navy is 7.5 times larger than France's in terms of total ships (1,036 vs 138).