The Chinese navy has deployed "six highly capable vessels" to the Middle East, says RAND's Bryden Spurling. He told Newsweek that the ships "reflect the rapid growth in the sophistication" of China's navy. Six Chinese warships were stationed in the Middle East last week, per reports from China Military Online, a Chinese state-linked military news outlet. The US has ramped up its military presence in the Middle East amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The Pentagon's 2022 annual report on China's military development forecasted China's fleet to reach 400 ships by 2025 and 440 ships by 2030.

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Persons: RAND's Bryden Spurling, —, Bryden Spurling, they've, Spurling, Lloyd Austin, Defense Mark Esper, Esper Organizations: Newsweek, Service, RAND, Chinese Navy, Australia's Department of Defence, China Military, U.S ., US, Hamas, . Defense, China, US Navy, Fox News Digital, US Naval Institute, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Defense, RAND Corporation Locations: China, Israel