All major powers have aircraft carrier except China:Chinese Defense Minister

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie urged North Korea not to go ahead with a proposed satellite launch during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart here on Friday, the first time Beijing has overtly demanded Pyongyang back down from a rocket launch. During the meeting, the Chinese defense minister also expressed the nation's intention to add an aircraft carrier to its navy. "China is the only major power without an aircraft carrier. We cannot do without aircraft carriers forever," Liang said, also suggesting that the plan is still in the early stages.

Both Liang and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada agreed the two nations will build on cooperation in information exchange and other areas in combating pirates off Somalia, where China has dispatched warships. It was also agreed that Liang will visit Japan before the end of the year. It was the first time in five and a half years that a top Japanese defense official has visited China, since the then Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba's visit in September 2003. In August 2007, then Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan visited Japan to meet his counterpart at the time, Masahiko Komura.

Posted in: China,Naval