Chuck Hagel's visit to Liaoning carrier spurs media talk on PLA transparency
Editorial says the military should open its doors to ordinary Chinese in the same way it did with US defence secretary
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel's invitation to board the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, sparked discussions on whether China should open its military facilities to the general public.
Hagel, who wrapped up his mainland tour on Thursday, became the first foreign official invited aboard the Liaoning. After landing in the port city of Qingdao on Monday, Hagel spent two hours on the ship - a symbol of Beijing's growing naval ambitions.
US officials travelling with Hagel noted the Liaoning is not yet fully operational. But the rare tour showed that the PLA is moving towards transparency.
An editorial in the Global Times, published under the auspices of the official People's Daily, argued that ordinary Chinese citizens should benefit from the PLA's openness.
Only a few members of the public have been taken on board the Liaoning since it entered service in September 2012.
"We would like to call for the Liaoning to take the lead in setting an open day for the public, allowing ordinary people to get aboard, appreciate its grandeur and have face-to-face interactions with the crew members," the editorial said.