China's navy has no agenda to build overseas bases
- Source: Global Times
- [12:58 March 11 2010]
- Comments
The Defense Ministry Wednesday said that the Chinese navy has no plans to establish overseas military bases and it has no secret agenda for global expansion.
Yin Zhou, a retired admiral who is also a deputy to the ongoing session of the National People's Congress said Tuesday, “We are not saying we need our navy everywhere in order to fulfill our international commitments. We are saying to fulfill our international commitments we need to strengthen our supply capacity.”
Deputy Chief of Staff of the PLA Navy, Zhang Deshun, said a naval force with advanced armaments and enhanced capabilities will contribute more to UN-led missions on anti-terrorism, anti-piracy and disaster-relief.
"We have no agenda to set up military establishments, or threaten the establishments of other nations overseas," Zhang added.
Senior Colonel Yan Baojian, a fleet commander in the South China Sea Fleet, said the navy is capable of operating overseas missions without any military bases on foreign soil.
Another naval commander, Rear Admiral Cao Dongshen agreed, saying the Chinese navy has no intention of global expansion.
At the end of 2008, the navy set off on its first major overseas operation, deploying four flotillas to the Horn of Africa to protect ships from Somali pirates. The navy also stopped for supplies in several countries including Pakistan, Yemen and Oman.
By March 8 this year, the fleets had escorted 1,677 Chinese and foreign merchant ships and rescued 23 vessels from pirate attacks.
This weekend, two combat ships will reach Somali waters on the fifth mission to continue the operation in collaboration with navies from more than 20 major countries.
