China is developing a massive floating research platform engineered to survive nuclear shock waves, a project that analysts say could reshape competition for maritime influence.

The Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility , officially classified as a national major scientific infrastructure project under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, will be the world’s first mobile, self-sustaining artificial island, reports scmp.com .

The structure, weighing 78,000 tonnes, uses a semi-submersible twin-hull design and will support long-duration missions far from shore.

According to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), which leads the design, the platform will measure 138 metres long and 85 metres wide, with a main deck rising 45 metres above the waterline. It will accommodate up to

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