No strategy change triggered by aircraft carrier

CNS (Beijing) – "China will not change its defense strategy merely because it has added some new weapons to its arsenal. The so-called 'China threat'theory  is groundless," Wang Dengping commented on persistent speculation by foreign media that China's aircraft carrier amounts to an additional threat to world peace.

This high ranking officer in the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and deputy to the National People's Congress reiterated just days ago that China owns only one aircraft carrier to serve its broad territorial waters of three million square kilometers, and the aircraft carrier is mainly used for scientific research and training. "A navy doesn't adjust its coastal defense strategy based on having one aircraft carrier," he stressed.

In late February, the Beihai Fleet headed for the first time to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to safeguard marine traffic, an event Wang lauded as "a significant task and a glorious mission."

"The number of pirate attacks has decreased slightly, but pirates remain violent and still pose a huge threat to maritime security," he warned, adding, "We must be vigilant to ensure ships operate under international protection and patrol fleets themselves are also safe through the region."