Chinese unveil nuclear sub fleet:

China has displayed its nuclear submarines for the first time in over four decades to showcase their “excellent safety” record as part of a naval drill. The submarines were shown as taking part in exercises along with naval ships and helicopters. The drill is the first open-sea drill in which maritime and air forces from all three of China’s fleets have taken part, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Monday. “We are China’s first nuclear submarine force, and the 42 years since our establishment have witnessed our success in avoiding nuclear accidents,” Rear Admiral Gao Feng, commander of one of the People’s Liberation Army navy’s submarine bases, told reporters in Qingdao port. While state television has shown the footage of the submarines taking part in the exercises, which according to the official media is the first time in 42 years ever since it began inducting nuclear submarines in the fleet, the print media highlighted its safety track with no accident record. The exercises in the west Pacific went on “despite foreign disturbance,” the People’s Liberation Army said. Foreign military vessels and reconnaissance aircraft, reportedly from Japan and US remained in the exercise area for an undue time monitoring Chinese activity in the close distance and seriously disturbing the naval drill, reports said. – Indian Express