05.11.2009
China started building its first aircraft carrier, said Lin Yu-fang, the chairman of Taiwan National Defense Committee to Taiwan Parliament on Wednesday. That was reported by AFP.
The carrier's construction "won't be smooth", thinks Tsai Teh-sheng, the security chief. According to him, China could not put the ship into service by 2012 unless a manufacturing breakthrough happens there soon.
"This is the result of an evaluation not only from National Security Committee but also from the Chinese communists", underlined Mr. Tsai.
Taiwanese military experts expect the Chinese People's Liberation Army to take at least 10 years to have its first carrier group.
"Once they complete the ambitious project, it will have a serious and far-fetched military impact on the region", said Wung Ming-hsien, professor of Taipei's Tamkang University.
"And by that time, the United States, Japan, and Taiwan will need to overhaul their military strategies", he added.
According to the analyst, a carrier group would potentially double the military threat posed to Taiwan by China.
In Taiwanese Defense Ministry annual report they said two weeks ago that China had continued its military build-up against the island despite warming diplomatic contacts, disrupting the military balance in the Taiwan Strait. As for the report, there are over 1 300 Chinese ballistic and cruise missiles targeting the island.
New Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou drudgingly fulfills his promise to adopt China-friendly policy; however, China still considers the island as a part of its territory necessary to be reunified even by force, although the island has been independent since a civil war 1927-1950 ended. Over 20 countries have recognized Taiwan as independent state, but the UN hasn't.
Source: RusNavy.com
