China’s Top Admiral Visits U.S., “Issues” Abound
China’s top Admiral and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Vice Adm. Wu Sheng Li, was in Washington yesterday and for the rest of this week is visiting the largest naval complex in the United States at Norfolk, Virginia.

Officially called the Peoples’ Liberation Army (Navy), China’s naval service has been undergoing something of a renaissance as China’s military structure is slightly decreasing its investment in its large land force and emphasizing more naval and air force capability.

Vice Admiral Wu’s trip was originally arranged by then Pacific Command commander Admiral “Fox” Fallon.

Admiral Fallon is now the Commander of Central Command which has oversight of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy, is Vice Admiral Wu’s host. The trip is being conducted without publicity.

There are certainly issues to discuss with China’s CNO.

Last year, according to Bill Gertz at the Washington Times, a Chinese submarine surfaced within shooting range of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in international waters.

China has a Navy now that bears watching and is growing every day in size and capability.

Admiral Gary Roughead, the current Pacific Commander, went to Beijing in part to discuss this incident.

When asked about a Chinese submarine “stalking” the American aircraft carrier at a Brookings seminar on Wednesday, Admiral Mullen said he wanted to avoid the word “stalking.”

But he also said he would raise the issue with Admiral Wu and that he wanted a phone connected to the Chinese Naval Headquarters so that future incidents could be discussed, understood and rapidly resolved without conflict.

China recently deployed an extremely high speed ship killing Russian engineered and built missile called “Sizzler.”

Admiral Mullen said he wanted a better understanding of China’s “strategic intent.”

China is rebuilding its navy to become more of a global force.

China also unexpectedly displayed an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile capability this year.

China has obtained Kilo class submarines and Sovremenny Class (Type 956) destroyers from Russia, along with highly capable missiles and other systems.

Though analysts say China’s Navy is still far from on a par with the United States Navy, it is clear that China one day intends to rival the United States at sea.

China is also heavily investing in seaports and other infrastructure. The newly opened mega-port at Gwadar, Pakistan, is an example of this new thinking and investment.