China confirms building its first aircraft carrier by refurbishing a Soviet vessel

The move will put it on a par with India, which has one aircraft carrier in the INS Viraat.

By Saibal Dasgupta , TNN | Updated: Jun 09, 2011, 09.31 AM IST

BEIJING: China’s top military official has acknowledged his country is building its first aircraft carrier by refurbishing a Soviet vessel. The move will put it on a par with India, which has one aircraft carrier in the INS Viraat.

But Chinese shipbuilders are expected to produce a 60,000 ton carrier that is double the size of Viraat, and also equip themselves with the capability to churn out more such vessels in a short space of time. India is expected to welcome the INS Vikramaditya (formerly Admiral Gorshkov) in 2013, after several delays.

The news caused a stir in the naval world soon after the Hong Kong Commercial Daily published a report quoting Chen Bingde, chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army, as saying the 300 -metre carrier ‘‘ is being built, but it has not been completed.’’

The paper said Chen didn’t give details of the carrier, originally called Varyag, which is currently based in the northeast port city of Dalian. But it quoted an anonymous source as saying it would become operational in June end.

‘‘ All of the great nations in the world own aircraft carriers — they are symbols of a great nation,’’ the paper quoted Qi Jianguo, assistant to the chief of the PLA’s general staff, as saying. But Qi and other Chinese defence experts hastened to counter the suspicion in countries like India, Japan and South Korea — that have territorial disputes with China — that it is a reflection of China’s military ambitions. The 60,000 ton carrier would not try to venture far outside China because the country favoured a defensive military strategy, they said.

The timing of the announcement is significant. It comes ahead of Chinese president Hu Jintao’s visit to Russia and in the midst of a warming of relationship between the PLA and the US military in recent weeks. ‘‘ China should at least be on the same level as other permanent members of the UN Security Council who have carriers,’’ General Xu Guangyu said.

DRAGON POWER

Chinese shipbuilders are expected to produce a 60,000 ton carrier — double the size of INS Viraat Chinese will also equip themselves with the capability to churn out more such vessels in a short space of time The carrier, originally called Varyag, will become operational by June end

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