Page 13 - IAV Digital Magazine #612

China’s Concerns Over Turkey’s New Aircraft Carrier Ambitions
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
China is con- cerned about Turkey’s aircraft carriers because it knows they are useless in the Aegean.
Turkey’s aircraft carriers, particu- larly the 60,000- ton aircraft carrier “Thrace” under construction— which is twice as large as the TCG Anadolu—have elicited various reactions and captured China’s
interest. These Turkish carriers are intended for power projection missions. In the Aegean, geo- graphical con- straints make them less effec- tive, but they can serve purposes in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Indo- Pacific.
China is keeping an eye on devel- opments in the
Pacific, where Turkey seeks to bolster its military and diplomatic influence. Ankara has military ties with nations like Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, coun- tries that have territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. The participation of Turkish naval forces in joint exercises could be seen as prob- lematic for
Beijing.
China also has significant eco- nomic and strate- gic interests in Africa and the Indian Ocean. Turkey’s involve- ment in regions such as the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti) and Libya positions it as another geopolitical play- er. The narrow Aegean Sea lim- its the full utiliza-
tion of an aircraft carrier or LHD, owing to the prox- imity of Greek islands and the Greek Air Force’s ability to target them easily. However, in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean, such a vessel can be employed for power displays, amphibious assaults, and drone opera- tions—actions of which Beijing is certainly aware.
China might be concerned about Turkey’s expand- ing role as a naval power in regions where China holds strategic inter- ests. Notably, China’s reactions have been head- line news in Turkey, with Turkish sources claiming that “Turkey’s new military venture is causing panic in China.”
An article pub-
lished in the PLA Daily, the editorial organ of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, reported that Turkey announced the construction of a large aircraft car- rier. The article stated that this 60,000-ton vessel would be twice the size of the 28,000-ton TCG Anadolu, current- ly the largest war- ship in Turkey, and used the headline “Turkey begins forming a dual-aircraft carri- er group,” accord- ing to Turkish star.com.tr.
The Chinese are particularly per- turbed by Erdogan’s com- ments, aiming to make Turkey an influential global power. With a large aircraft car- rier, the Turkish navy will be able to operate in dis- tant regions such as the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine