PLA invites world’s navies to 70th anniversary review, France and Russia may send aircraft carriers
- The event is expected to be a show of military might and amity as Beijing polishes its image as a rising power
- The French navy is likely to send its flagship Charles de Gaulle warship and Russia may send the Admiral Kuznetsov, a Chinese source said
The PLA Navy has invited other countries to send aircraft carriers to its 70th anniversary celebrations next month in an effort to cement ties with its military partners and counterparts, according to analysts who monitor developments in China’s armed forces.
The naval review – along with a grand military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic on October 1 – is one of the most extravagant organised by the People’s Liberation Army for this year.
The PLA Navy, which has been under growing international scrutiny for its activities in the South China Sea in recent years, is using the occasion to reach out to its counterparts to present a friendlier image.
“The naval parade will give the PLA Navy an opportunity to polish its image as a friendly and peace-loving modern military, and President Xi Jinping, who is the chairman of the Central Military Commission, is expected to preside over the parade,” a Chinese source told the South China Morning Post.
“It is very likely that the French navy will send the flagship Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier next month, and Russia is also considering sending the Admiral Kuznetsov to join the celebrations,” the source said.