The significance of China's aircraft carrier construction?

China's carrier is defensive and won't have much impact on other countries.

One aircraft carrier is basically negligible to the huge US fleet, we are not trying to confront the US, many countries have long had aircraft carriers. For our country, the safety of waters and the safety of shipping lanes require the possession of defensive carriers, in addition, carriers can also be used for non-traditional security issues, such as disaster relief, counter-terrorism, anti-piracy and so on.

China's oil is mainly transported by sea, and aircraft carriers can provide timely sea rescue and protect sea lanes, all of which, of course, will be based on international law. I don't think there is a need for neighboring countries to over-interpret China's aircraft carrier construction. Even for some controversial issues, China's principle is already clear, which is to solve them through negotiation, diplomacy, gradual approach and ultimately by peaceful means, which is not directly related to aircraft carriers.

I think China's first aircraft carrier is largely symbolic, so many countries have had carriers in the last few decades that it is no longer that significant in modern military terms. In modern warfare, more use of long-range missiles and other weapons, aircraft carriers are just the normal equipment of maritime modernization, a carrier does not have a decisive significance for maritime dominance, it is just the process of naval modernization must have.

Zhang Minqian, executive director of the Center for Strategic National Security Studies at the Institute of International Relations