New Vessels Must Be Adaptable For Military Use Under New Order To Shipbuilders

The Chinese government has issued new rules requiring civilian shipbuilders to make vessels that can be converted for the military during emergencies, reports Agence France-Presse.

Five categories of vessels -- container, roll-on/roll-off, multipurpose, bulk carrier and break bulk -- are to be modified for defense purposes, reported state-run newspaper China Daily on Thursday.

The government will cover the cost of the work. The new standards will allow "China to convert the...