Reports that an aircraft carrier is being built in Shanghai have been denied by the official in charge of military hardware production, but he confirmed that China would focus on developing new combat ships.
Zhang Guangqin , a vice-minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, said the mainland was working to upgrade weapons and improve its navy's combat capability.
'Our country will accelerate the replacement of weapons for the navy,' Mr Zhang said. 'The focus is on developing new combat ship models, enhancing weapons' information technology and improving the accuracy of long-range weapons.
'Our shipbuilding industry is going to meet the navy's needs in this regard.'
But when asked to comment on reports that China is building an aircraft carrier in Shanghai, Mr Zhang said: 'As a leader of the government department in charge of this industry, I know nothing about these reports. I can clearly tell you they are not true.'
The reports quote Russian sources as saying China started building a domestically designed carrier in a Shanghai shipyard in 1999. But the rumours have never been verified.