China has deployed hundreds of warships, aircraft carriers, and nuclear submarines in a potential face-off with President Donald Trump, as tensions between the Washington and Beijing reach boiling point.

In a show of military might, China is deploying its military to the Asia-Pacific in order to send Trump the clear message that the country refuse to back down over the disputed South China Sea territory.

Express.co.uk reports:

With Xi Jinping’s nation being economically strong, it has the money and capability to massively expand its armed forces.

And that is exactly what the Chinese Communist Party is doing.

The People’s Liberation Army’s Navy is growing faster than expected, with plans to push out hundreds of vessels to work in the oceans.

A new destroyer and corvette have been launched with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Navy) – or PLA(N) in the last three weeks alone.

The US Navy remains the world’s most powerful but in recent decades China has pushed forward with plans to catch up.

PLA(N) Commander between August 1982 and January 1988 General Liu Huaqing was the first in his role to consider Chinese domination of the Pacific.

Admiral Liu Huaqing allegedly had designs to take control of island chains in the Pacific, before controlling the entire region before 2050.

Admiral Shen Jinlong, previously commander of China’s South Sea Fleet, has taken the reins as Commander of the PLA(N), with Admiral Yuan Yubai moving to command the Southern Theatre Command from running the North Sea Fleet.

China is currently developing floating nuclear power stations and permanent military bases in the South China Sea – giving them the edge over those who also claim territory there.

The state-owned Global Times reported China plans to build as many as 20 floating nuclear power plants, the first of which could be producing power in just a few years

But the US will not back down to the apparent show of power by the Chinese government.

Mr Trump’s spokesman ruffled feathers after the inauguration when he said the US was considering its role in China’s claim over artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Beijing warned Washington to tread carefully around the issue, adding it would take a “war” to get them to back down.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said his nation is committed to “freedom of navigation” in the disputed waters in the South China Sea.

So far, he has ruled out a military response.