China is building a nuclear-blast-proof floating island: What it means for world and why its location matters

China is developing a massive floating artificial island that scientists say will be able to survive even a nuclear explosion. The project, known as the Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, is a 78,000-tonne semi-submersible platform that will serve as the world’s first mobile, self-sustaining artificial island.

According to Chinese researchers, the facility is nearly the size of China’s newest Fujian aircraft carrier and will be capable of supporting 238 people for up to four months without requiring any external supplies. Once completed, the platform will allow China to operate far from its shores, extending its presence and power across disputed waters. It is expected to become operational in 2028, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

What makes this platform unique is its nuclear-blast-resistant structure. It uses advanced “metamaterial” sandwich panels that can, in the words of Chinese scientists, turn “catastrophic shocks into gentle squeezes.” The design is meant to keep the facility safe during powerful underwater or atmospheric explosions.

The research team, led by Professor Yang Deqing of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), published the design details in the Chinese Journal of Ship Research. “This deep-sea major scientific facility is designed for all-weather, long-term residency,” the paper stated. The platform will include compartments for emergency power, communication systems, and navigation control. The researchers added that “nuclear blast protection for these spaces [is] absolutely vital.”

Official documents show that the project is part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which includes large-scale scientific infrastructure programmes. SJTU revealed that development began over a decade ago. The design contract was signed in December 2024 with China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the country’s largest shipbuilder.

The final design shows the platform will be 138 metres long and 85 metres wide, with its main deck standing 45 metres above the waterline. It will have a twin-hull design to improve stability and will be able to operate in rough seas, including waves up to nine metres high and typhoons of category 17.

The platform will be able to stay at sea for months at a time, cruising at speeds of up to 15 knots. It is being built primarily for long-term research, including deep-sea monitoring, testing oceanic equipment, and exploring seabed resources.

However, the facility’s nuclear-resistant structure and reference to GJB 1060.1-1991, a Chinese military standard for nuclear-blast protection, have led some analysts to question whether it could have military applications.

The project’s potential operating zones include the South China Sea, a region where China has built several artificial islands and military bases over the past decade. The new floating island could serve as a mobile research and surveillance hub, allowing Beijing to extend its reach into international waters.

Project overseer Lin Zhongqin, an academician involved in the design, said last year that the team is “racing to complete the design and construction, aiming for operational status by 2028.”

While China insists the facility is intended for scientific research, its scale, resilience, and location suggest it could also strengthen China’s strategic control over contested maritime areas.