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Taiwan needs not worry about China's aircraft carrier - for now

Central News Agency

2011/07/27 22:51:31

By Lo Chu-tung, Emmanuelle Tseng and S.C. Chang

Taipei, July 27 (CNA) With China finally confirming its first aircraft carrier, experts said Wednesday Taiwan does not need to worry about the carrier threat until China builds a second or a third carrier and forms battle groups.

Earlier in the day, the Chinese defense ministry confirmed that China was using an old aircraft carrier for scientific experiments and training.

The carrier is believed to be the "Varyag," and was purchased from Ukraine.

Ting Shu-fan, a director at the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University, said Taiwan does not have to worry about the possible threat from the "Varyag" for now.

To start, the ship will need some more time to overhaul, Ting said.

"When the mainland starts to deploy its second or third aircraft carriers, then we will really have to worry," he said.

But Lan Ning-li, a retired navy vice admiral, said Taiwan's military must now begin to face a litmus test from China by watching how it trains its aircraft carrier crew and how it forms its first battle group.

Lan said Taiwan needs to learn about the capabilities of the ships sailing around the "Varyag" to determine its combat power.

He thinks it will still take a long time before China forms its first combat group.

Ting said if China deploys its aircraft carrier in the East China Sea Fleet, then it would be clear the target is Taiwan, although its ability to project power is still in question.

Not only is Taiwan concerned about China's aircraft carrier project, Lan said, the United States is also wary of it.

"That gives us room for imagination on possible cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. in the future," he said.

In response to China's confirmation for the first time about its aircraft carrier, Ministry of National Defense (MND) Spokesman Lo Shao-ho said MND is watching the development of China's military closely.

Lo predicts mainland China will try to build its own aircraft carriers in the future.