Tight security around old carrier in China raises suspicions

The Straits Times ^ | AFP

[batter]

BEIJING - Tight security surrounding a decommissioned Ukrainian aircraft carrier moored in China is fuelling suspicion about the Chinese navy's intentions towards the ship, a report said yesterday.

The Varyag carrier has been berthed at Dalian port in north-east China for two months, ostensibly to be refitted as a casino for use in the gambling enclave of Macau, near Hongkong.

But Hongkong's Sunday Morning Post said the 306-m Soviet-built ship showed no outward signs of becoming what its new owners have said would be the world's largest floating casino and hotel.

'Its stationing in the port, near one of China's largest naval shipyards, and the strict security surrounding it have fuelled speculation that it is being used by the Chinese military for research into Beijing's attempts to build its first operational aircraft carrier,' the newspaper said.

In a report from Dalian, it quoted a dock worker as saying: 'We can get aboard almost all ships here for scrapping and reconstruction, but certainly not a high-security military ship like that one.'

Beijing has long yearned for an aircraft carrier, which would significantly enhance its ability to project naval power in the region.

The Varyag was bought for US$20 million (S$36.4 million) from Ukraine in 1998 by a Macau-based company, Agencia Turistica e Diversoes Chong Lot, which said it planned to tow the ship back to Macau after refitting.

But the company does not appear to have any connections to the three firms that won bids for gambling concessions in February, when Macau put its lucrative casino industry out to tender.

The Post report said Agencia Turistica, registered in August 1997 with only HK$1.9 million (S$440,000) in capital, was actually a shell company owned by Hongkong firm Chinluck Holdings.

Chinluck has a poor financial record, according to the report, raising questions about how it could afford to pay for the carrier. And it was not one of the 21 companies that submitted bids for the Macau gambling licences, the Post added.

The Chinese government and the buyers have denied Beijing was behind the purchase of the Varyag. --AFP

[batter]

The Chinese government and the buyers have denied Beijing was behind the purchase of the Varyag.
Same old PRC song and dance.

Found via ChiCom Watch.

[batter]

FYI

[Semper Paratus]

Casino? That was the cover story for the carrier?

On the other hand I would love to a squandron of Wong Wies attempting night carrier landings.

[tracer]

I had no idea that Hillary!! was in China today. Prayers for the USSS working to provide tight security....

[batter]

Bump and some background info:
Soviet Aircraft Carriers Find A New Home In China
China's carrier of chance - interesting Jamestown Foundation article
China pays £17m for giant Soviet carrier

[TADSLOS]

Reads like a script from the latest Austin Powers movie.

[batter]

See some of the links in post #5 for details on the 'cover story' the PRC used.

[Blood of Tyrants]

A casino? On a decommissioned Soviet navy ship? That has to be the lamest excuse they have ever come up with.

[ArrogantBustard]

That ship is a Navy Cross just waiting to happen...

[Pearls Before Swine]

A casino? On a decommissioned Soviet navy ship? That has to be the lamest excuse they have ever come up with.

It is pretty bad. However, let's look at it from their point of view. Part of the fun of lying to someone is to use a lame excuse that both of you know is ridiculous--the lamer the better. Its insulting, and its supposed to be. We lose face because we've been insulted, and there's nothing directly related to this we can do in reply.

[Magnum44]

One could only hope the chinese would spend as much of their treasury in pursuit of the same goal of matching the US aircraft carrier as the USSR did, using the losing side as their model, and achieving the same results.

[Fish out of Water]

Index Bump

[in the Arena]

ping...

[Paul Ross]

What is really amazing is that they (the PLAN) didn't already get the detailed specs for one of our super-carriers from the Clintons (take your pick) for a few campaign contributions.

[Paul Ross]

What is really amazing is that they (the PLAN) didn't already get the detailed specs for one of our super-carriers from the Clintons (take your pick) for a few campaign contributions.

[MrB]

detailed specs for one of our super-carriers from the Clintons

But what would they do with the plans?
Their manufacturing technology wouldn't be able to produce such a ship - it can't be made from bamboo and slave labor.

[thescourged1]

Didn't take 'em long to tow that rusting scow back to China. Mayhaps a mid-ocean "tragedy" should have befallen it, but too late now. No biggie, I guess.

[GOP_1900AD]

Starting about 1920, Germany "sold" and "scrapped" out existing hardware to Holland, Sweden, Finland and Russia. And, naturally, the designers were all "let go" and resumed their duties working for firms that appeared to be native to those same countries - with the exception of the ones in Russia, they were all front companies for firms such as Henckles, Fokker, Messerschmitt and Junkers. Later, during the mid to late 1930s, the UK were aghast at the rapidity with which Germany was able to rearm, and with the latest new technology!

The pattern repeats. This time it is the Russians who have outsourced their weapons and weapons industries. The players are Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the PRC, Iran, Iraq and N. Korea. And once again, we will be amazed how quickly today's treaties become Lenin's "pie crusts," and, as meant, become broken, and we shall then see the new Axis rearm so swiftly, with new technology as well as masses of low tech "warfare by volume" hardware, that we will be like deer in the headlights, paralyzed with terror, dumbfounded by over 57 years of naivete and appeasing spirit. We have, through our shear ignorance of the history that has preceded us, shear hubris that claims we are beyond the end of history, and shear treason that places the strip malling of our soon to be enemies ahead of nationalistic self preservation, painted ourselves into a very painful corner. Buy savings bonds, people. Start buying them now!

[AFreeBird]

Their manufacturing technology wouldn't be able to produce such a ship - it can't be made from bamboo and slave labor.

Perhaps you ought to take a trip down the the store, any store, and check out all the stuff "Made in China". They may not have designed the plants themselves, but they know how now.

[GOP_1900AD]

Funny.... you are either being comical or ignorant. I urge you to compare the current output of the PRC ship building industry with our own. Just about two weeks ago, here in the bay area, the arrival of four huge container cranes made news because they could barely fit under the Golden Gate and Bay bridges set upon the massive self propelled hull that had specially built just to convey them here from..... Shang Hai! We can't even build container cranes any more and have to buy them from the friggin' Chi Coms. So, do you still believe that they cannot build a blue water navy? That's what many wanted to believe about both Japan and Germany as late as 1925. Bad move....

[MrB]

semi-commical, obviously not funny. sorry

[EternalVigilance]

What is really amazing is that they (the PLAN) didn't already get the detailed specs for one of our super-carriers from the Clintons (take your pick) for a few campaign contributions.

What they did get was even worse. :-(

Because of the Clinton organized crime operation, they have the best, most technologically advanced atomic warheads perched atop missiles that can now probably hit something.

[patton]

Container ship?

[Jeff Head]

This is the sister ship to the Russian carrier, Kuznetsov. When the curtain came down they didn't have the money to finish outfitting it and get it through commissioning and sea trials. It got in bad shape and the ChiComms purchased it. They have a couple of other older carrier hulks they purchased too ... supposedly for scrap or other purposes.

No doubt they are studying them. This one could possibly be overhauled and finished, but would be very expensive. We'll see. In the fictional series:

DRAGON'S FURY - BREATH OF FIRE
A Novel of the next World War

the ChiComms are in the middle of building two larger carriers of their own design while secretly making conversions to container ships to create "Sea Control" carriers. This carrier is larger than either of those two "fictional" designs. Here's a pic of the sister ship, which is active with the Russian Navy.

More info on carriers ---> HERE

Regards.

[Jeff Head]

See my post 25 on this thread.

[patton]

WOW! Interesting book! I will have to buy a copy!

LOL. Now all we need is a missile...

[Eternal_Bear]

It will take 10 years to make this scow fully operational. They may still turn it into a casino after they carefully go over ths ship.

[Jeff Head]

My book gives the answer. I wrote it with a message.

We need to stop now cottling the ChiComms and treat them like the dangerous advesaries they are.

At the least, IMHO, we should challenge them in the same way Reagan challenged the Soviets.

[Jeff Head]

Many of us are well aware of the capability and the building threat. See my post number 25.

[Paul Ross]

Indeed we are aware of the threat (see Alamo-Girl's site), but we do have a fair number of people who are ignorant (thanks to liberal media and schools, they know nothing, and what they think they know is a raft of deceptions crafted by Freedom's enemies).

Since you are in Hong Kong, we would be interested in your take on China's defense-pact with Russia. It is constantly being down-played in the U.S.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!