Edited and translated by People's Daily Online
At the Party congress of the People's Liberation Army Navy held on Dec. 6, 2011, Chinese president Hu Jintao urged the navy deputies to accelerate the transformation and modernization of the Navy, and make extended preparations for warfare in order to make greater contributions to safeguarding national security and world peace.
Foreign media sensationalized his remarks and considered them aimed against Barack Obama's recent strengthening of U.S. military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region. A spokesman of the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon repeated the demand for further military transparency from China so as to "help answer some of the doubts about China's intentions."
It is the painful memory of Chinese humiliation that pushes the state to build a powerful navy. Today's Chinese should have a more profound understanding that we must build a powerful modern navy as China is also a maritime power and has a large sea territory as well as sea interests.
In today's world, economic globalization is irreversible. China has extended its border of state interests to a more vast space via an unprecedented degree of participation in the globalization process and international communication as the world's second biggest economic giant and biggest exporter.
A practical question for China is whether it is capable of defending these benefits, whether its military strength will meet the global security demand and to defeat the forces interfering on its path to connecting with the world. The development situation of China today shows the importance and necessity of building a powerful navy has never been so urgent and prominent.
Naval construction is indispensable for any great power. China must have a sea power matching its international status to guard its fulfillment of international obligations as a permanent member of the United Nations and an important member in international society.
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