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Beijing puts its nuclear submarine
fleet on show
AFP, BEIJING
People¡¦s Liberation Army Navy
sailors stand on a nuclear-powered submarine of the North Sea Fleet at an
undisclosed location in an undated photograph.
Photo: AFP
Beijing has put its nuclear-powered
submarine fleet on public display, with state media yesterday touting the move
as unprecedented and necessary to show other countries China¡¦s strike
capabilities as territorial tensions mount.
In an overt declaration of China¡¦s high-seas strength, several state-run papers
ran front-page stories on the four-decade-old submarine fleet, while state
broadcaster CCTV has devoted much airtime in recent days to its drills and
exercises.
China¡¦s first nuclear-powered submarine was launched in 1970, the Global Times
said, but had not been properly taken into account by others.
¡§China is powerful in possessing a credible second-strike nuclear capability,¡¨
it said in an editorial, adding: ¡§Some countries haven¡¦t taken this into serious
consideration when constituting their China policy, leading to a frivolous
attitude toward China in public opinion.¡¨
¡§China needs to make it clear that the only choice is not to challenge China¡¦s
core interest,¡¨ said the paper, which often takes a nationalistic tone and is
close to the Chinese Communist party. ¡§Developing marine-based nuclear power is
part of such work.¡¨
In a nod to accusations that Beijing is becoming increasingly assertive over its
territorial claims in the East and South China seas, the editorial continued:
¡§Perhaps it will give excuse to ¡¥China Threat¡¦ speculation but the benefit will
far eclipse the trouble created by external opinions.¡¨
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