Communist China building Soviet W-class submarines according to the Australia Station Intelligence Summary dated 1 August 1956

An item reported the possibility of the building of submarines at the Kiangnan Dockyard, Shanghai. Begin July were two sighted while fitting out alongside this yard and with another two on the slips. A fence prevented what was done on two other slips. It were probably Soviet W-class submarines, especially designed for easy construction and enturely conventional. Displacement 1,500 tons, surface endurance 16,5000 nautical miles, operational radius about 5,000 nautical miles, 8 torpedo tubes and a speed of 13 (submerged)-17 (surfaced) knots.(1)

Note

1. Jane’s Fighting Ships edition 1985-1959 mentioned 4 launched and others under construction, displacement 1,050 (standard)-1,300 (surfaced)-1,500 (submerged) tons. The 1963-1964 mentioned even 21 units.

Source

Website Royal Australian Navy, Sea Power Centre.