A nuclear cruiser as China's carrier stepping stone

Could China build a nuclear-powered cruiser larger than the Type 055?

Yes, and such a ship could provide global reach while serving as a practical step toward nuclear-powered carriers.

Chinese surface combatants could grow beyond the Type 055. Nuclear propulsion would extend range and serve as an engineering and institutional bridge toward nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Building and operating a cruiser-scale plant would let the navy develop relevant surface-ship experience before applying it to a much larger flight-deck vessel. The proposed sequence treats procurement as cumulative technical learning.