China seeks to build LHDs to bolster its expeditionary capabilities.

via Focus Taiwan.

The PLA quickly became aware of the many inadequacies of its Type 071 Kunlun Shan-class (崑崙山艦) amphibious transport dock during conflicts in Africa. Despite its ability to carry two Russian-designed Zubr-class air cushion landing crafts (LCAC), currently the largest military hovercraft of its kind, the Type 071 vessel is plagued by a lack of firepower and inability to fill command and air support roles in combat.
The same inadequacies in military humanitarian missions were repeated during the subsequent armed conflicts in Libya, which hastened the adoption of amphibious crafts by the PLA, the report said.
In addition, the report said that the PLA might be motivated to match the capabilities of the U.S. Navy's America amphibious class landing crafts.
In response, China's dockyards are scrambling to build its own home-grown amphibious assault craft, with a displacement of 50,000 long tons, said the report, and the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding Company Limited (上海江南長興造船廠) has been commissioned to build at least four amphibious assault ships.
The report also implied that the PLA Air Force is developing a variant of the J-10 fighter jet, equipped with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities.
Of note, diagrams released by Xinhuanet (新華網) revealed a design for China's amphibious assault vessel that stands 265 meters in length and is capable of launching jet fighters, helicopters, and LCACs.

A STOVL J-10?

They must be working toward a directed thrust, similar to the Harrier if they're talking about putting it into service quickly.

That will be interesting.  The simplicity of the Harrier design when coupled to a modern jet could give us the Chinese version of the Harrier III.  Depending on how they market it, we could be looking at a competitor to the F-35B.

If the Chinese are willing to allow Western avionics to be installed in the jet...and I can't see why they wouldn't...then they will have a cheaper, possibly higher performing jet that will catch the attention of cost conscious allies and neutral countries.

Everything else in this story comes as no surprise.  The Chinese Marine Corps will be every bit as active as the USMC and its only a matter of time before they meet on the field.