I suspect they are trying to catch up technologically, and even leapfrog with some innovations, and only then go into mass production. The shipyards are expanding but we don’t see China cranking our numbers for numbers sake. They are even retiring the type 056 to the coast guard to make room for more advanced ships, meaning they also have to grow the personnel numbers and that takes time as well. The maintenance facilities also need to expand if numbers are to be increased, so older less advanced ships will be retired or sold off/possibly gifted away to make room for more maintenance friendly/ highly automated ships. It’s not impossible that after hostilities end in the Russo-Ukrainian war, many of the older ships (such as Type 054A and Type 052C) could be sold to Russia, to help them rebuild their numbers and strengthen the ties with China.