warships

As nervous US military hawks have pointed out, if Chancay can accommodate ultra-large container vessels, it can also handle Chinese warships.

A US carrier strike group - a major fleet of warships - is a potent symbol of American military power and a signal that it's willing to defend allies and deter enemies.

An emboldened Kim could also draw a stronger show of support from the US – in the form of warships or even weapons - towards its allies, Seoul and Tokyo.

The most recent was over the weekend, when the US and Canada sailed their warships through the waters.

The shapes are type A56 corvettes of the Chinese navy - 1,500-tonne warships - and they have been berthed alongside a new, Chinese-built pier that is big enough to accommodate much larger vessels.