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China’s first aircraft carrier

By Park Min-hee, Beijing correspondent

China’s East Sea Fleet is conducting exercises to beef up its aircraft carrier escort and other maritime operation capabilities in the West Pacific.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced the beginning of the exercises on its website on Nov. 28, saying its main force headed out at 10 o’clock that morning, passing through the Miyako Strait by Okinawa en route to the West Pacific. The People’s Liberation Army fleet included the guided missile destroyers Hangzhou and Ningbo, the missile frigates Zhoushan and Ma’anshan, and the comprehensive supply ship Poyang Lake, accompanied by helicopters.

The government-run Xinhua news agency provided details and photos of the exercises within just one hour of their start time.

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said the exercises included a large escort presence, which analysts said portends future aircraft carrier escort exercises in preparation for an aircraft carrier formation.

Anthony Wong Dong, president of the Macau International Military Association told the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao on Nov. 29 that the maritime exercises clearly included aircraft carrier escort exercises.

Wong went on to say that while the exercises were likely intended as a first attempt to gain experience with escorting an aircraft carrier, the formation could be beefed up in the future with the addition of a two Chinese Aegis air warfare destroyers, two frigates, submarines, and supply vessels.

Observers also see the break with precedent - China typically does not hold maritime exercises between November and March - as a signal that China, now that it has an aircraft carriers, wants a global navy that can travel anywhere in the world, even under poor climate conditions.

Fleet Commander Qiu Yanpeng, deputy commander of the East Sea Fleet, said the exercises were intended to develop China’s long-term long-distance maritime operations capabilities.

China certainly has been working steadily to develop its aircraft carrier fighting force. In September, the country formally commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. On Nov. 25, it successfully carried out J-15 takeoff and landing exercises on the vessel.

Observers are also offering different interpretations on the decision to provide detailed information so quickly after the exercises started. In the past, China has preferred to wait until after the exercises are over. Seldom has it ever provided real-time information such as photographs, and even the names of the vessel involved.

Li Jie, a senior researcher at the Chinese Naval Research Institute, told the PLA Daily that China was trying to relax tensions with Japan, while also telling the outside world that the PLA is increasing its transparency.

Ni Lexiong, a professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, told the South China Morning Post that by providing details on its training during a China visit by US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, China was trying to send the world the message that it has a stable military relationship with the US.

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