China is displaying nuclear submarines in the port city of Qingdao, a first, according to Xinhua, the official government news agency.
The muscle-flexing comes as China is in multiple debates over the South China Sea, which China claims as its own, but which many other nations say is theirs, at least in part.
Also, the United States says many waters near China are international waterways and must be open to international traffic.
The news agency quoted Chinese President Hu Jintao as saying that the vast Chinese military buildup is not for hegemony or aggressive intentions. Rather, China wishes harmonious relations in the South China Sea, he asserted. Those worried by the huge military buildup are misguided about China’s intentions, he said.
But he praised the huge expansion of Chinese naval forces, saying he is pleased with the growing Sino might on the seas, according to Xinhua.
The naval buildup includes construction of multiple types of new submarines, including the Jin Class nuclear-powered boat that carries nuclear-tipped missiles with a range of almost 5,000 miles. China also is buying Sovremenny Russian destroyers, and plans to acquire aircraft carriers. And Chinese forces are deploying a 7,000-mile nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile. China also has some 1,500 short- and medium-range missiles pointed toward Taiwan, which Beijing vows one day to invade if it doesn’t peaceful submit to Chinese mainland rule. And China has developed anti-satellite and cyber warfare capabilities. It also has aims to place taikonauts on the moon by 2020.
While Hu said all this military might isn’t for aggressive purposes, he pointedly added that nations must respect each others’ sovereignty, sending a signal that they better heed Chinese claims on the South China Sea.
Hu met with leaders of foreign militaries helping China to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN.
His comments came as China is beefing up patrols in the South China Sea.
The Haixun-31 marine inspection vessel just joined an ongoing patrol operation there, according to Xinhua. The patrols are near the island of Hainan, where China is basing many submarines. China has been unhappy that U.S. Navy submarines track Chinese subs as they leave the island.
But the official news agency said only that the Chinese naval patrols there are to monitor the sea environment, check main sea routes and route markings, and other facilities on the sea, and to “ensure shipping order and safety.”
Also, top-ranked Chinese Adm. Wu Shengli hosted his counterpart, U.S. Navy Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, as China attempts to warm relations with the United States.
Those relations were strained recently when a U.S. Navy ship peacefully steaming in international waters of the South China Sea was harassed by Chinese vessels that swerved in front of the American ship Impeccable. China claimed the Impeccable shouldn’t have been gathering intelligence there.
China also is building submarines at a pace multiple times faster than the United States, so the U.S. may not be able to track them all.
Hainan Island has bitter memories for the U.S. Navy. In 2001, a Chinese fighter aircraft came dangerously close to a Navy intelligence plane peacefully flying in international air space, then slammed into the Navy plane. It was damaged heavily and almost crashed, so that it had to make an emergency landing on Hainan Island. The Chinese captured the Navy crew of two dozen men and women in uniform, and attempted to learn U.S. secrets by rifling through electronic systems. The American Navy personnel were held prisoner for more than a week until the United States apologized, “very sorry … very sorry,” for the personnel making that emergency landing on the island.