One interpretation of the Sovremenny purchase is that it bought security while Chinese designers continued taking technical risks. The ships supplied an immediate anti-carrier threat after the humiliation of 1994. A dependable force in service gave domestic development room to proceed without leaving the navy as exposed. Their Eastern Fleet assignment placed them in the area facing Taiwan, Japan, and the Pacific approaches.
Notable Point · 41:24-47:17
Sovremenny procurement buys a strategic backstop
Buying four Russian Sovremenny destroyers gave China immediate anti-surface firepower while domestic designs continued to take technical risks.