A Type 054 can make Chinese naval presence conspicuous with a substantial modern warship. Its deployment is judged less provocative than sending a destroyer into the same area while still displaying respectable capability. The choice of ship therefore helps set the political tone of a presence mission.
Notable Point · 10:36-11:02
Frigate presence and the signal sent by a destroyer
A Type 054 offers visible modern naval capability for presence missions when sending a destroyer would carry a more provocative signal.