Chuck Hagel Visits Chinese Aircraft Carrier Liaoning

Chuck Hagel Visits Chinese Aircraft Carrier Liaoning

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel became the first foreigner to have a tour around the first aircraft carrier of China, the Liaoning. The tour pushed trip due to a request by the United States.

Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby, press secretary of the Pentagon, said the secretary was pleased with the visit on board the aircraft carrier at the Yuchi Naval Base.

Kirby also said the professionalism of the officers and crew of the ship impressed Hagel. The secretary was also aware of the significance of the granting of the request by the PLA.

The tour of the Liaoning took two hours to finish. It included a briefing, as Chuck Hagel was able to see the living and medical quarters. He was also able to see the bridge and the flight control center. The secretary was also able to walk around the launch stations and the flight deck.

The visit gives an indication of the efforts of the US in encouraging better US-China military ties are showing some positive results. The press secretary also said that Hagel is hoping that the visit will be an indication of more chances to enhance dialogues between the two militaries.

The visit of the defense secretary comes as China provided a huge force in finding the location of the missing Malaysia Airlines airplane in an area far from its territorial waters. China announced in 2012 that it was able to successfully land a jet fighter into the deck of the aircraft carrier.

The aircraft carrier can carry thirty J-15 fighter jets and a crew of around 2,000. The first sea trials of the aircraft carrier were completed in August 2011.

The aircraft carrier was made using the shell of the aircraft carrier Varyag. The construction of the Liaoning started under the Soviet military prior to the fragmentation of the former Soviet Union.

Posted by James Fried on Friday April 11 2014, 6:15 AM EST. Ref: CNN. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0