“We are prepared to be extremely transparent with regard to U.S. military positions and equipment, and we’d like to have a reciprocal relationship with China, and that’s what our presidents have said we ought to aspire to,” Nuland said. “Transparency in itself is a confidence builder between nations.”

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng told reporters in China last month the ship, that was built from the shell of an old Soviet carrier, is only “for the purposes of technological research, experiments and training.”…

“All of the great nations in the world own aircraft carriers — they are symbols of a great nation,” Lt. Gen. Qi Jianguo, assistant chief of the general staff, told the Hong Kong Commercial Daily.