China needs to build its own aircraft carriers

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Although there have been similar statements on other occasions,these two incidents are regarded as the most formal responses from the Chinese military regarding the country's ambition for aircraft carriers.

The remarks quickly stirred enthusiasm among netizens. An opinion poll by the influential sina.com.cn showed half of the twenty thousand people surveyed believe China will build a carrier very soon. Over forty percent believe China will eventually build one, but it could take a long time. And nearly ninety percent believe China acquired the technology long time ago, and has been waiting for the right time to build it.

Netizens even initiated a design contest. Some of the entries aren't practical, while some are up to professional standards. Analysts say it will take at least five to seven years to build such a ship, and the initial design will not be too complicated.

Li Jie, researcher of PLA Navy Research Institute, said, "The construction of an aircraft carrier is a gradual process. For example, in terms of its engine system, it starts from conventional fuel power to advanced nuclear power. For China, it's more practical to start from building a middle-range carrier before jumping to the next stage. "

Eleven countries now deploy aircraft carriers to their navies. Only 6, the US, Russia, Britain, France, Italy and Spain can build their own. Some of Japan's naval vessels can double as sub-standard aircraft carriers.

Editor:Zhang Ning