Jiangnan Shipyard was recently expanded and is now being merged with another yard.Satellite image © 2023 Maxar TechnologiesChina's massive shipbuilding industry is key to its military's naval modernization.Dual commercial and military shipyards and China's national ambitions are major strengths.But military corruption and future maintenance issues raise questions about long-term sustainability.China's shipbuilding industry is at the core of its efforts to modernize its navy, producing new warships at astonishing speeds.But despite its shipbuilding strengths, which include a robust commercial sector and a variety of yards across the country, China's vast shipbuilding empire is not without its challenges, such as corruption and many still unanswered questions about future needs and the capability and capacity of Chinese yards to meet them.China's huge shipbuilding empire is no hidden secret.