CHINA-PLAN: CHINESE NAVY EXPERT SAYS CHINA NEEDS THREE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

Commodore Zhang Junshe, a member of the Naval Research Institute, was quoted by Japan's Jiji press on January 9 as saying that China needs “at least three aircraft carriers” to protect its extensive coastline and its interests abroad. He said “Our country has an 18,000-kilometer (11,000-mile) long coastline. Also, our economy is outward looking and our interests abroad are growing. All this requires us to send a military force to distant seas to protect (these interests). In these circumstances, I think we need at least three aircraft carriers. Of course, depending on economic development, we could legitimately revise this figure upwards.” He added “Since the first Opium War in 1840 until the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, we have suffered 470 naval attacks from Western countries or Japan,” and during this period, China suffered several defeats by Britain, Japan and France which resulted in the colonization of Chinese territories. "We will not be invading other countries, but the Chinese are afraid that their country will be invaded again, so the main reason we are strengthening our defense is to ensure our security”.





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