Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Geopolitical Impact Of China's Aircraft Carrier

Chinese aircraft carrier Shi Lang under construction

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Enters Geopolitical Tempest -- Peter Goodspeed, National Post

The Chinese navy’s first aircraft carrier, a rebuilt Soviet-era ship, will undertake its first sea trials Friday in time to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.

More importantly, the muscular new addition coincides with a tempest of new conflicts as China confronts its neighbours over competing claims to potentially rich oil and natural gas fields in the South China Sea.

Read more ....

My Comment: Peter Goodspeed puts too much credit in China's first carrier .... many naval analysts see it as one big easy target. But it will serve China's goal of projecting power, and in this case perception becomes more important than what is China's actual military capabilities.

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