China has constructed a full-scale replica of a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer at a remote missile test site in the Taklamakan Desert, Xinjiang. Satellite images revealed that work on the mock-up began around October 2025, although the exact purpose of the structure remains publicly unconfirmed. The appearance of this warship replica adds a stark new chapter to China’s pattern of military posturing, particularly as tensions over Taiwan and maritime dominance continue to escalate.
This development comes at a time of increasing concern among Western governments about China’s growing military assertiveness. The British, French, and German embassies in Taipei issued a joint statement recently, signaling their unease over Chinese activity off Taiwan’s east coast. The statement noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his naval forces to ramp up coast guard patrols, a move described as “threatening regional stability and the freedom of navigation.” This explicit worry from European powers highlights just how exposed the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific has become.
The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are among the most advanced and versatile surface combatants in the world. China’s decision to create a life-sized replica in its desert missile testing range is not an idle act of curiosity. While Chinese authorities have not publicly stated their motive, military analysts point to possible scenarios: missile targeting practice, radar signature studies, or rehearsals for potential attacks on real US warships. The region’s long-term stability is directly linked to the ability of US naval forces to operate freely, as seen in recent operations such as the US Navy's disabling of an Iranian cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
This is not the first time China has been caught building American-style targets in its western deserts. As far back as 2021, satellite imagery captured mock targets shaped like an aircraft carrier and two US destroyers. The new construction suggests a sustained effort to simulate and study US warship vulnerabilities. Xi Jinping’s government, according to foreign diplomats and regional experts, continues to view Taiwan as a “renegade state” that must ultimately fall under Beijing’s control, a stance that frames much of the current saber-rattling in the region.
In response to Chinese naval maneuvers, Taiwan has intensified its own military readiness. Earlier this month, Taiwan conducted a two-day exercise along a 12-mile coastal stretch near Taichung city, deploying US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). During the drill, dozens of US-made rockets were fired toward the Taiwan Strait, the first time Taiwan has used such weaponry in this context. As a co-founder of the Taiwan Defense Studies Initiative, Joseph Wu, revealed, the missile test site in Xinjiang with its US warship replica is only one piece of a much broader contest of military capabilities and signaling.
While the technical details of the replica’s construction have not been made public, the available satellite imagery and reporting leave little doubt about the intended message. The deliberate reproduction of a US Navy destroyer at a missile test site is unlikely to be for show. For years, China has invested heavily in anti-ship ballistic missiles and other weapons designed specifically to counter US naval power. The presence of a full-scale model in the desert suggests an interest in practicing missile strikes or studying how the vessel might respond to various threats, an ominous signal for anyone concerned about the safety of American sailors in the Pacific.
European governments, watching from a distance, have grown increasingly vocal. Their joint statement in Taipei was unusually direct, warning that China’s actions are “threatening regional stability and the freedom of navigation.” This echoes the concerns often raised by US officials about Beijing’s island-building, coast guard harassment, and naval expansion across Asian waters. For China’s leadership, the ability to project power is inseparable from its ambitions, not just regarding Taiwan, but across major sea lanes including the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic importance of these routes has been highlighted in our own coverage of China’s ambitions for an open Strait of Hormuz without military control or tolls (Greer on China's Hormuz goals).
The Pentagon’s recognition of China’s growing capabilities is not new. US defense planners have long warned that China’s anti-access/area denial strategy relies on the ability to destroy or neutralize US ships at long range, making the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer both a model and a target. Washington’s response has been to equip allies like Taiwan with advanced systems such as HIMARS, described by one source as “most likely Taiwan’s most crucial weapon to fend off Xi and his imperialist appetite.” The logic is clear: if China is going to practice attacks on American hardware, US allies need the means to strike back and deter aggression.
The issue is not confined to mock-ups in the desert. China’s military buildup has taken many forms, from island fortifications to the sale of advanced weapons across the Middle East, as detailed in revelations about Chinese arms transfers to US allies (leaked Pentagon intelligence). The message to the United States and its partners is unmistakable: China intends to challenge the existing order, not just in the Taiwan Strait, but anywhere its interests are at stake.
The construction of a US warship replica in Xinjiang may be the most visually striking sign yet of this approach, but it is only part of a larger pattern. As the world’s attention shifts to the growing risk of conflict over Taiwan, China’s willingness to invest in such provocative preparations cannot be ignored.
Despite the clear evidence of China’s activities, much remains unknown. The precise Chinese agency responsible for the replica’s construction has not been named. Nor is it clear whether live-fire missile testing or other simulations have occurred at the site. With no public explanation from Beijing, speculation is inevitable. The unanswered questions add to the uncertainty, and the risk, faced by US warships and their crews in contested waters.
What is certain is that the world’s leading authoritarian power is making no secret of its willingness to prepare for confrontation. Every new structure in the desert, every diplomatic warning, and every military drill is a reminder that peace in the Pacific cannot be taken for granted. As recent US military actions at sea demonstrate (see our report on Pacific interdiction), American naval power is not just a symbol, it is an active line of defense for a free and stable world.
Diplomatic denials and official statements can only go so far. When hostile powers build copies of American warships and practice attacks, it is up to our leaders to recognize the reality, invest in deterrence, and protect the interests of those who serve, and those who rely on the rule of law at sea. For now, the shadows in the Xinjiang desert serve as an unmistakable warning.
The stakes are clear: when adversaries prepare for war, Americans cannot afford wishful thinking.
