In 2018, a Chinese admiral proposed sinking two US- aircraft carriers in the South China Sea and targeting the US capital, its celebrities and its electoral system.

On December 20, 2018, Chinese Rear Admiral Lou Yuan gave a speech at the country’s annual Military Industry List summit in which he expressed, in no uncertain terms, his willingness to launch a military attack on two US super aircraft carriers located at the time in the China Sea.

The gigantic 100,000-tonne vessels were stationed in the region in order for the US to keep tabs on Beijing’s plans to expand its territory in the South China Sea.

Lou, who at the time also served as deputy chief of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, claimed that destroying the two nuclear-powered warships would cement, once and for all, his country’s dominance over the East and South China Seas.

In addition, Lou claimed that China had the capacity to bypass the surrounding fleet, which would protect the two US supercarriers from a potential attack.

However, if the attack were to take place successfully, not only would it result in an $8.5 billion financial blow to the US Navy, but it would also take the lives of around 10,000 service members assigned to the two vessels.

Unsurprisingly, Lou considered this devastating potential human cost more of a motivation for sinking the warships than a deterrent, claiming that “What the United States fears the most is taking casualties.”

“We will see how frightened America is,” he added.

Furthermore, he declared that China should “use its strength to attack the enemy’s shortcomings. Attack wherever the enemy is afraid of being hit. Wherever the enemy is weak. Target the U.S capital, its celebrities, its electoral system …”.

No one should argue that this is an isolated case of a misguided military.

The fact that China allowed the publication of this speech proves that the Chinese government wanted at least to show the US what China might be capable and willing to do.