Ministry responds to port speculation

The Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday that whether a new port being built could host aircraft carriers, as some media have recently speculated, would be decided "in accordance with the tasks required".

Canada-based Kanwa Asian Defence, a regional defense magazine, said in its August issue that a 700-meter dock in Sanya, Hainan province, is a second aircraft carrier base for the People's Liberation Army navy.

The South China Morning Post quoted the magazine as saying that China "has put the finishing touches to the world's longest aircraft carrier dock", and the facility could service carriers on both of its sides.

Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said in Beijing on Thursday, "The construction of the facilities will be determined in accordance with the tasks required."

Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said that building such a base "is very normal", since the country will have more than one aircraft carrier and requires more facilities capable of accommodating the giant vessels.

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said it is necessary for China to improve its military capability "to ensure peace and stability in the South China Sea region".

On Thursday, the ministry spokesman also criticized the increasingly high profile that US and Japanese senior figures are adopting on maritime issues.

On July 23, the commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Harry B. Harris, accused China of "building false sovereignty" via land construction in the South China Sea.

"China expresses great concerns over the US pushing forward the militarization issue in the South China Sea" because Washington is "creating tension in the region, and increasing the risk of maritime or airspace accidents", Yang said.

Contact the writers through zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

Yang Yixi contributed to this story.