Beijing, Aug 4 (IANS): China is building its second aircraft carrier base in Hainan island due to its strategic location and effectiveness to deploy guided missile nuclear submarines, a researcher said.
State-run People's Daily cited a researcher who attributed Hainan’s strategic location, its complete defense facilities and the effectiveness of deploying guided missile nuclear submarines as the major three reasons behind China’s decision to build its second aircraft carrier base in Hainan island.
The daily cited Canada-based Kanwan Defense Review as reporting that the basic construction of China's second People's Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier base on Hainan was completed in November 2014.
The base has a pier that can dock large ships, indicating that both carriers can dock at the PLA Navy's carrier bases at the same time. The new base is 700 meters long.
Ma Yao, a researcher with Shanghai International Studies University, made the analysis in thePaper.cn, where he said Hainan navy base is comparatively close to the three strategically important straits -- Malacca Strait, Lombok Strait and Sunda Strait.
Ma said that Hainan island is already equipped with quite advanced defense facilities after years of development, providing enough support to the naval base.
The third reason is that the Hainan base is good for the effectiveness of navy’s nuclear force with its deeper waters.