Strong navy protects interests

The three trial runs of China's first aircraft carrier, the refitted Varyag, in 2011 marked a milestone in Chinese navy's development. But they also drew sharp reactions from some countries intent on raising false alarms.

The aircraft carrier and its trial runs reflect the Chinese navy's growing competence in defending the country's sovereignty and maritime interests. With a coastline of 18,000 kilometers, more than 6,500 islands, and about 3 million square kilometers of maritime area, China needs a strong and modern navy to prevent any violation of its territory, sovereignty over the islands and maritime interests in its waters.

China has to protect its interests on the high seas, too. The country became the world's largest exporter in 2009 and imported 63 percent of its iron ore and 55 percent of its crude oil needs in 2010. The safety of China's personnel, assets and shipping lanes is very important for its economy, to guarantee this it needs a strong navy.

Varyag's trial runs demonstrate the level of the navy's modernization. Regarded as the symbol of modern naval power, aircraft carriers are a combination of a wide range of technologies, including shipbuilding and aviation. China developed its first aircraft carrier thanks to the concerted efforts of its scientific research sectors, and it reflects the country's comprehensive strength.

The rebuilding of Varyag and its trial runs indicate that China can now better fulfill its international responsibilities. With China's increasing global status, it has and will respond to the United Nations' appeal to send its naval fleets to international waters on peace-keeping missions, which include fighting piracy and providing humanitarian aid.

But despite having Varyag, China is far from completing its navy's modernization. Naval modernization is an inclusive concept, which includes applying latest technologies to navy ships to fulfill their battle requirements and maritime security needs. In pursuit of modernization, a navy has to undergo a change from the traditional to modern, including installation of modern weaponry. Modern navies are equipped among other things with advanced weapons, reasonable structure of armed forces and high-quality personnel.

Since naval modernization is a complicated and long-term process, the Chinese navy will not leap forward by just adding Varyag to its fleet. Besides, the navy's modernization is rooted in the comprehensive modernization of Chinese society and will progress accordingly.

On the road to its modernization, the navy is bound to encounter twists and turns. China is the largest developing country with a weak industrial foundation and less advanced technologies, especially military technologies. And since Western countries have banned the exports of advanced weapons and technologies to China for years, the Chinese navy has to grope its way toward modernization.

Worse, some Western countries cling to the Cold War mentality, and are still suspicious of China's rise and the development of its military. They demonize China's routine moves to modernize its navy and trumpet the "China threat" theory, distorting its army's image and vilifying the defensive nature of its security policy.

In recent years, the Western media have speculated about the development of China's defense system and "scrutinized" every move of the Chinese navy. Some Western media outlets' prejudice against China has prompted them to use the modernization of its navy to call the country "arrogant" and "aggressive".

Some Western scholars tend to see the development of China's aircraft carrier and missiles as a threat to other countries and over-interpret its routine naval drills as "posturing or preparing for war". They even allege that China is building a series of military bases, or the so-called string of pearls, in the Indian Ocean under the pretense of helping some countries build commercial port facilities.

The truth is that China's navy has developed in recent years but only to defend its territory. China has followed a defensive defense policy and will stick to the policy.

China is the world's most populous country, second largest economy and the third largest country in area but it is still not a modern naval power. During the first three decades of reform and opening-up, China prioritized economic development to lift its people out of poverty, which caused uncoordinated development of its defense structure.

Even today, China spends only 1.4 percent of its GDP on defense, whereas the US spends up to 4 percent and countries such as Britain, France and Russia more than 2 percent. Besides, the Chinese navy can hardly match the development of its counterparts in the developed world. What really matters is not what kind of weapons China possesses but what policies and strategies it follows. China pursues peaceful development and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.

China has not been part of any war or arms conflict since the mid-1980s, as opposed to some countries that wage wars worldwide under the pretext of humanitarianism and democracy. China did not have an aircraft carrier until 2011, whereas the United States had its first as early as 1911, that is, a full 100 years before.

Despite the huge amount of assets and large number of personnel worldwide, China has not built a single military base outside its own territory in stark contrast to the US that has more than 1,000 military bases across the world. In this sense, Western accusations against China are groundless, for we know which country is actually disturbing the world order and unsettling certain regions.

In a deeper sense, behind the criticism directed at the development of China's national defense is hegemonic ideology. Some countries justify their expansion but always find faults with emerging powers such as China. What they fail to see is that China's loss is not necessarily their gain.

Only by abandoning their outdated mentality can they ease the unnecessary tensions with China. The Chinese navy's modernization will progress regardless of the external intervention and a stronger Chinese naval force that advocates building oceanic harmony is the guarantee of world peace.

The author is a senior captain and director of Naval Research Institute of the People's Liberation Army.

(China Daily 01/09/2012 page9)