The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

number of factors, including observations of renovations ongoing
at Dalian. Reporting from Chinese open sources indicates that the
J-15, which is based on the Russian Su-33, is being developed for
China’s aircraft carrier program. Chinese interest in purchasing
the Su-33 appears to have waned in light of indigenous development
of J-15. While China has yet to officially announce the
existence of an aircraft carrier program, numerous Chinese military
officials have made public comments on the program. China
likely intends to use aircraft carriers to bring the air component of
maritime power to the South China Sea and other regional areas
to protect Chinese sea lanes, shipping, and enforcing maritime
claims. Additionally, an aircraft carrier would likely be used in
regional humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.”
174. If China’s indigenous design mirrors the Kuznetsov class
(i.e., ski jump vs. catapults) then the vessel will likely have a relatively
limited capability, particularly in terms of the type of AEW
platform the ship can operate as well as the warloads the fighters
can carry.
175. An Indian naval officer, Commander Gurpreet Khurana,
assesses, “China and the IOR (Indian Ocean Region) countries
involved maintain that the transport infrastructure being built is
purely for commercial use. There is no decisive evidence at this
point to assert otherwise because these facilities are in nascent
stages of development.” Gurpreet S. Khurana, “China’s ‘String of
Pearls’ in the Indian Ocean and Its Security Implications,” Strategic
Analysis, Vol. 32, No. 1, January 2008, p. 3.
176. This section draws on Michael S. Chase and Andrew S.
Erickson, “Changing Beijing’s Approach to Overseas Basing?”
Jamestown China Brief, Vol. 9, Issue 19, September 24, 2009.
177. “Colonel: China Must Establish Overseas Bases, Assume
the Responsibility of a Great Power,” Global Times, February 5,
2009, available from www.chinareviewnews.com/doc/7_0_10087
7861_1.html.
178. Dai warns that “If we make things difficult for ourselves
in this matter by maintaining a rigid understanding of the doctrines
of nonalignment and the non-stationing of troops abroad,
then it will place a lot of constraints on us across the board. Not
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