Thread: China's 1st aircraft carrier 'starts sea trial',2nd as Hotel

9 August 2011 Last updated at 21:03 ET

China's first aircraft carrier 'starts sea trial'

The 300m (990ft) carrier, under construction in Dalian, is thought to be nearly finished

The Chinese navy's first aircraft carrier has begun its sea trials, the state-run Xinhua news agency has said.

It quoted military sources as saying that the refitted former Soviet warship left its shipyard in the north-east and the trial "would not take a long time".

The move is likely to raise fresh concerns over China's rapid military build-up.

Beijing is currently involved in several maritime territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea.

Run-ins at sea

The aircraft carrier left its shipyard at Dalian Port in northeast Liaoning Province on Wednesday morning, Xinhua reported.

"Military sources said that the first sea trial was in line with the schedule of the carrier refitting project," it said.

"After returning from the sea trail, the aircraft carrier will continue refit and test work."

Xinhua did not provide any further details.

The carrier is question is a former Soviet warship, which was formerly called the Varyag.

It is a relatively old design and it was not built by China. It was constructed in the 1980s for the navy of the USSR, but was never completed. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the rusting hull of the Varyag sat in dockyards in Ukraine.

As other Soviet warships were cut up for scrap a Chinese company with links to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) bought the Varyag claiming it wanted to turn it into a floating casino in Macau. It took several years to finally tow it all the way round the world to China, where it was then taken to Dalian.

In June, the PLA confirmed that China's first aircraft carrier was under construction.

However, Beijing has recently sought to downplay the capabilities of the carrier, saying it would be used for training and research.

But a Japanese defence study last week expressed concern about what it called China's failure to explain its military ambitions.

In the past year, China had maritime run-ins with Japan, Vietnam and also the Philippines over disputed territories in the area.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14470882

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Chinese Aircraft Carrier in Sea Trials

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-246410.html

10 August 2011 Last updated at 00:03 ET


VIDEO

China's first aircraft carrier 'starts sea trials'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14470882

China couldn't build their own aircraft carrier. They bought an old Soviet carrier that was going to be scrapped and made it their aircraft carrier.

It quoted military sources as saying that the refitted former Soviet warship left its shipyard in the north-east and the trial "would not take a long time".

China launches second aircraft carrier – as luxury hotel

As sea trials of Varyag concern region, Binhai Aircraft Park uses China's growing naval power to appeal to curious visitors

Tania Branigan in Beijing
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 10 August 2011 14.46 BST

China's first aircraft carrier, Varyag, has caused concern in Washington and with the country's neighbours. Photograph: Xinhua Press/Corbis

While experts' eyes may be on the sea trials of the Varyag, another vessel has been making waves in the Chinese media.

Like the Varyag, the Kiev is a former Soviet aircraft carrier. Like the Varyag – supposedly bought to serve as a floating casino – its buyers said they wanted to turn it into a leisure facility.

The difference is that the Kiev is indeed welcoming guests, proudly billed as China's first aircraft carrier hotel.

Owners of the Binhai Aircraft Park believe China's burgeoning naval power will drum up customer interest.

"Previously, China didn't have aircraft carriers. People find them mysterious and are curious about them. Even though China's first aircraft carrier has now gone on sea trials, it will be quite hard for the public to ever visit it," said marketing manager Liu Chang. "I guess people can come here to fulfil their curiosity."

Prices to stay in one of the five lavish presidential suites have yet to be set, but designers appear to have shunned standard naval decor in favour of something more luxurious. Pictures of one show a vast white circular bed, silver lamé drapes and a cowskin rug.

The South China Morning Post reported that its owners had spent almost 100m yuan (£9.6m) on renovations – still rather less than the cost of refitting the Varyag.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/au ... xury-hotel

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"Transparancy" and China's Aircraft Carrier - US State Dept 110810

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz-lcw09XTs&NR=1

The U.S. State Department Press Brief, August 10, 2011