Navy comparison: 
China vs 
Taiwan
China's 1033-ship navy outnumbers Taiwan's 107 vessels (9.7:1 advantage). Of these, 1005 and 97 are in active service respectively.
SEAS (Sea Equipment Aggregate Strength) Index face-off Full ranking →
China
Taiwan
Bars: weighted contribution to the SEAS Index (hulls × category weight × size, era and propulsion factors, minor vessels capped at 30 % of the combatant points; the air-wing, sustainment, armament and availability multipliers apply on top) · figures: active hulls at each side's latest inventory year · Methodology
Key figures as of 2026
| China | Taiwan | Ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official name | People's Liberation Army Navy | Republic of China Navy | |
| Total ships | 1,033 | 107 | 🇨🇳 9.7× |
| Active ships | 1,005 | 97 | 🇨🇳 10× |
| On order / planned | 0 | 7 | 🇹🇼 |
| Submarines | 62 | 4 | 🇨🇳 16× |
| Principal surface combatants | 121 | 25 | 🇨🇳 4.8× |
| Aircraft carriers | 3 | 0 | 🇨🇳 |
| Amphibious ships | 81 | 8 | 🇨🇳 10× |
Show full breakdown · 4 more rowsHide the 4 extra rows
| Corvettes | 50 | 8 | 🇨🇳 6.2× |
| Patrol boats | 94 | 37 | 🇨🇳 2.5× |
| Mine warfare | 37 | 10 | 🇨🇳 3.7× |
| Auxiliaries | 523 | 5 | 🇨🇳 105× |
Backbone classes one per tier held
Analyst Assessment
Verdict
Edge: China
China's PLA Navy overwhelms Taiwan's Republic of China Navy in every scored category, fielding roughly 1,005 active hulls against 97, including three carriers, 62 submarines and 121 principal surface combatants versus Taiwan's 25. Taiwan's counterweight is not fleet mass but asymmetric denial — missile corvettes, mining, and the geography of the Strait backed by a limited submarine force now under recapitalisation.
Domain by domain
Surface combatants
Edge: China
🇨🇳 China121 principal combatants: 35 Type 052D destroyers with universal VLS, 47 Type 054A frigates, 50 Type 056 corvettes, plus larger Type 055-class cruisers. Blue-water task-group doctrine with organic area air defence.
🇹🇼 Taiwan25 principal combatants: 4 Kee Lung destroyers (ex-Kidd), 10 Cheng Kung, 6 Kang Ding and 5 Chi Yang frigates — largely legacy hulls — plus 8 stealthy Tuo Chiang missile corvettes for sea denial.
Submarines
Edge: China
🇨🇳 China62 boats spanning nuclear and conventional types, with 18 Type 039A air-independent-propulsion submarines as the backbone alongside SSNs and SSBNs based at Longpo and Jianggezhuang.
🇹🇼 Taiwan4 boats, only 2 Hai Lung-class genuinely combat-capable; 7 indigenous Hai Kun-class are on order. Small force intended for chokepoint ambush rather than sustained patrol.
Carriers & naval aviation
Edge: China
🇨🇳 China3 carriers including the catapult-equipped Type 003 Fujian, enabling organic fixed-wing air cover and strike from beyond the first island chain.
🇹🇼 TaiwanNo carriers and no organic fixed-wing naval aviation; air cover depends entirely on land-based air force assets and shore batteries.
Coastal & mine warfare
Edge: China
🇨🇳 China37 mine warfare units, 94 patrol boats including 60 Type 022 missile catamarans, and 34 unmanned systems — offensive mining and littoral swarming capacity.
🇹🇼 Taiwan10 mine warfare vessels (Min Jiang, Yung Feng, Yung Jin) and 37 patrol craft led by 31 Kung Hua VI missile boats; defensive mining of approaches is a core denial task.
Shipbuilding & sustainment
Edge: China
🇨🇳 ChinaLargest shipbuilding output worldwide, 442 support ships and 27 cargo hulls sustaining distributed operations; replacement rates measured in multiple major combatants per year.
🇹🇼 Taiwan5 support ships and a narrow industrial base; the Hai Kun submarine and Tuo Chiang programmes show indigenous capability but limited throughput and no meaningful attrition reserve.
Wildcards
- Geography of the Strait The 130-km Strait is shallow, heavily surveilled and mineable. Taiwan's mountainous east coast and hardened ports complicate blockade, while an amphibious crossing exposes China's 81 amphibious hulls to layered anti-ship fire.
- External access and alliances Taiwan's position depends heavily on foreign arms supply and the prospect of third-party intervention. China's 15 catalogued bases, including Djibouti and South China Sea reef facilities, extend reach but also disperse effort.
- Combat experience gap Neither navy has fought a major fleet action in decades. China's advantage lies in tempo, escort deployments and large-scale exercises; Taiwan trains intensively but within a narrow, defensive operational envelope.
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Analysis generated by a language model from the figures on this page and public sources; it is an informed reading, not a military assessment or a prediction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country has more naval ships, China or Taiwan?
China has a larger navy with 1,033 ships compared to Taiwan's 107 ships.
Which navy has more submarines, China or Taiwan?
China operates more submarines with 85 compared to Taiwan's 12.
Which country has more aircraft carriers, China or Taiwan?
China has 3 aircraft carrier(s) compared to Taiwan's 0.
Which navy has more destroyers, China or Taiwan?
China operates 66 destroyers compared to Taiwan's 4.
Which navy has more frigates, China or Taiwan?
China operates 59 frigates compared to Taiwan's 21.
How do the China and Taiwan navies compare in size?
China's navy is 9.7 times larger than Taiwan's in terms of total ships (1,033 vs 107).