SHANGHAI
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is set to discuss military cooperation during a three-day visit to China, where he will become the first foreign senior official to examine China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
Hagel will hold official talks with Chinese leaders and senior military officials to discuss the situation in the South and East China Seas during the trip, whose first stop will be the port city of Qingdao.
Hagel will also tour China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, with its two thousand-member crew, with a carrying capacity of 30 J-15 fighter jets.
China transports the majority of its foreign trade goods by sea, and has problems with Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Vietnam in the Pacific.
The Liaoning and its fleet were closely monitored by the U.S. and Japanese navies during its passage in the Taiwan Strait, close to disputed islands between China and Japan.
The Liaoning was reportedly accompanied by two air defense destroyers and two missile frigates during the trial of its power system, seagoing capability, integrated communication and meteorological support capabilities. The aircraft carrier was bought from Ukraine over a decade ago and extensively refurbished by China Vessel Construction Industry before entering service last year.
In March, China increased its defense budget for 2014 by 12.2 percent to US$132 billion, worrying global markets.
China claims that 90 percent of the South China Sea, rich with oil and gas, belongs to the country, despite territorial claims by other countries such as Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
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