China's first aircraft carrier enters service
25
September 2012
China's first aircraft carrier has entered into service, the
defence ministry says.
The 300m (990ft) Liaoning - named after the province where it was
refitted - is a refurbished Soviet ship purchased from Ukraine.
For now the carrier has no operational aircraft and will be used
for training.
But China says the vessel, which has undergone extensive sea
trials, will increase its capacity to defend state interests.
China's Premier Wen Jiabao said the ship would have "a mighty and
deep significance". It would be "a cause for patriotic passion", he
said at a ceremony attended by top Chinese leaders at Dalian
Port.
The delivery of the aircraft carrier comes at a time when Japan and
other countries in the region have expressed concern at China's
growing naval strength.
China and Japan are embroiled in a row over disputed islands in the
East China Sea.
Several South-east Asian nations are also at odds with China over
overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.
It also comes weeks ahead of a party congress expected to see the
transition of power to a new generation of Chinese leaders.
'Defend interests'
The Liaoning was formally handed over to the navy at a ceremony in
Dalian, state-run Xinhua news agency said.
"Having the aircraft carrier enter the ranks will be of important
significance in raising the overall fighting capacity of our
nation's navy to a modern level," the defence ministry said in a
statement.
The vessel will "increase [China's] capacity to defend, develop its
capacity to co-operate on the high seas in dealing with
non-traditional security threats and will be effective in defending
the interests of state sovereignty, security and development", it
added.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-19710040