China's first aircraft carrier could be officially operational by National Day (October 1), says a senior naval researcher.
The vessel has yet to be given a Chinese name. It was built using the hull of an unfinished Soviet carrier, the Varyag, which Beijing acquired in 2002.
Senior Colonel Li Jie , a researcher with the navy's military academy in Beijing, told the South China Morning Post that the Varyag, which completed its ninth sea trial on July 30, may formally join the Chinese navy on the 63rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
'The Varyag will serve our navy sometime this year, and it may be put into operation on October 1, as almost all of the necessary equipment on board has been installed,' Li said.
Beijing has said that the carrier will be used for training purposes.
Li said the carrier could play a key role in defending China's sovereignty claims in maritime territorial disputes, such as parts of the South China Sea that are also claimed by the Philippines and Vietnam.
'In the South China Sea, we would still prefer not to use military means to resolve territorial disputes with our neighbours ... but of course the Varyag has certain fighting capabilities, even though it was designed to be a training carrier,' Li said.