In the context of the US and its allies constantly deploying modern weapons to the Asia-Pacific region, China’s Type 053H3 frigates no longer meet the combat requirements. This forces the Beijing government to come up with options to improve, upgrade, or build new types of ships to increase deterrence. To save money and time, upgrading the Type 053 frigates is one of Beijing’s important options. According to the Global Times, the Type 053H3 frigate, which has undergone a mid-life modernization program, was first seen in early 2020 during an exercise.