While China classifies its Type 055 as a destroyer, the US classifies the type as a cruiser due to its size, armament, and role. In terms of hull numbers, China has eight Type 055 cruisers, versus just three Zumwalt-class destroyers. Although the US Navy still has a large overall VLS numbers advantage over China, China already had 50% of the US VLS capacity in 2024. That gap is rapidly narrowing as China builds more large surface combatants such as the Type 055 cruisers and Type 052D destroyers. Ultimately, the redesigned Zumwalt-class provides a specific yet powerful conventional deterrent against China in a Taiwan crisis.