Philippine Navy says China’s aircraft carrier capabilities still ‘need decades’ to mature

A senior Philippine Navy official has suggested Beijing still “needs decades” to refine its aircraft carrier-based warfare capabilities, in a move interpreted by some as a taunt but with analysts saying it reflected a realistic assessment of China’s naval might.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a navy spokesperson, was asked by reporters on Sunday for his comments on the Shandong – one of China’s three aircraft carriers – being deployed to the waters off the Philippine’s coast last week.

“I told our compatriots that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is still inexperienced. Although they are more advanced than us, it will be a long time before they reach the operational level of their aircraft carriers,” Trinidad said.

The 70,000-tonne aircraft carrier was also monitored sailing in the waters off the northern Philippine island of Luzon last month and parts of the Philippine Sea in October and November.

“We can better understand China’s moves if we know their thinking about war. Their doctrines are number one, if you are strong, show you are weak; number two, if you are weak, show you are strong,” Trinidad said.

“What they are doing with Shandong and throughout the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea, they are loud and they show that they are strong, but the truth about their aircraft carriers is that they need decades to perfect naval warfare using aircraft carriers,” he added.

In recent months, Beijing has strengthened their presence throughout the South China Sea and taken aggressive moves to disrupt Philippine Navy and coastguard missions in order to assert their territorial rights over the disputed waters.

China has long claimed most of the South China Sea as part of its territory based on “historical rights”