Strong navy guarantee for peaceful rise: China Daily editorial

The Chinese navy's deployment of its first aircraft carrier Liaoning in 2012 struck its US counterpart as an alarming sign of how ambitious China's navy was to strengthen its capabilities in the new century. So it is no surprise that the voyage of its first domestically built aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Straits to the South China Sea on the weekend should have attracted so much attention.

It is the carrier's ninth trial voyage since its first in May 2018. But it is the first time for it to sail through the Taiwan Straits to the South China Sea at the head of a carrier group, which may mean that it is about to enter service.

US and Japanese warships reportedly followed the unnamed vessel, "Type 001A", all the way, which has become their routine practice. And Taipei was reportedly keeping a close eye on it through the Straits, interpreting it as an attempt to intimidate the island's voters ahead of the January elections.

Yet no matter what speculation accompanies the vessel, its voyage was purely for "scientific research tests and routine training", as navy spokesman Cheng Dewei made clear on an official social media account.

China has long been committed to a proactive national defense policy, but the fact that the Chinese navy now has two aircraft carriers, and it will not be long before it has its third and then fourth, is something that clearly disturbs some.

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper again voiced the US' concern on Sunday, claiming that China is "increasingly resorting to coercion" in the region, conveniently ignoring the intimidating presence of the US Navy in the waters.

To protect its domestic security and its international interests, it is natural that China should want to build a strong navy.

Although China does have territorial disputes with some of its neighbors, it has long insisted that such disputes be solved through talks and negotiations. China will not bully any country, but it can only prevent itself from being bullied by having a strong military. It will not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country, but it must have a strong military to prevent its internal affairs from being interfered with by other countries.

And while peaceful reunification is preferred, a strong navy is a necessary deterrent to those seeking the secession of Taiwan from the motherland. Only with a strong military, a strong navy in particular, will China be able to guarantee its peaceful rise.