China to Unveil Nuclear Submarines
BEIJING — A senior Chinese naval officer said that China would unveil its nuclear submarines to the public on Thursday as part of an international review of the country’s naval fleet “aimed at promoting understanding about China’s military development,” according to a report by Xinhua, the state news agency.
The appearance of the submarines, in the northeastern port city of Qingdao, would be the first time that China has publicly shown the vessels. They are among the most powerful ships in the Chinese Navy.
The officer, Vice Adm. Ding Yiping, deputy commander of the Chinese Navy, told Xinhua in an interview on Monday that “suspicions about China being a ‘threat’ to world security are mostly because of misunderstandings and lack of understandings about China.”
He added, “the suspicions would disappear if foreign counterparts could visit the Chinese Navy and know about the true situations.”
The naval show comes at a time of growing confidence on the part of the Chinese military. Senior Chinese officials have said China would like to acquire an aircraft carrier to better defend its territory. The Chinese government has sent warships to pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia to help defend freighters against attacks.
The vessel review being held in Qingdao is part of a ceremony to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Chinese Navy. The celebration began on Monday and includes delegations from 29 countries. Of those, 14 countries will be showing 21 vessels, according to Xinhua.
The naval show, and particularly the unveiling of the nuclear submarines, could be intended to send a signal to Asian countries that are engaged with China in territorial disputes over islands and potential oil fields in the seas of East and Southeast Asia. China has had recent disputes with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines over territorial claims in those seas.
Official Chinese news organizations reported on March 20 that the government intended to bolster its naval presence in the South China Sea by sending six more patrol vessels to the region in the next three to five years. The official reason was to “curb illegal fishing.” But the announcement came after tensions with the Philippines rose in March over the disputed Nansha Islands, which the Filipino government claimed as its territory in a law passed on March 10.
The Chinese and American governments also tussled last month over a naval skirmish off China’s southern coast. On March 8, five Chinese vessels harassed an American surveillance ship in international waters, Pentagon officials said. The Chinese insisted that the American ship, the Impeccable, was conducting illegal surveillance in waters under China’s jurisdiction.
China’s main military concern, though, is Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that China says must be reunited with the mainland and that the United States supports with arms sales. Some Taiwanese strongly advocate open independence, and at times China has threatened the island with violence, but relations between Beijing and Taipei have improved since the election last year of Ma Ying-jeou as president of Taiwan. Mr. Ma rejects any notion of declaring independence.
The Pentagon released a study on March 25 that said that the Chinese government is seeking weapons and technology to disrupt the traditional advantages of the American military, and that the veil of secrecy the Chinese government has thrown over its military could lead to a miscalculation or conflict between the two nations. According to the report, a main goal of China’s military buildup is to have sufficient forces on hand in the event of war across the Taiwan Strait.
In his interview with Xinhua, Admiral Ding said the naval show scheduled for Thursday in Qingdao could be disrupted by bad weather like rain or fog.
