China could have its first aircraft carrier within three years, a Beijing-backed Hong Kong newspaper reported Wednesday, citing an unnamed senior military officer. "As far as I know development is proceeding smoothly, and if we're fast we might be able to complete the work in 2010," an unnamed lieutenant general was quoted as saying by the Wen Wei Po daily.
The unidentified lieutenant general was speaking to the paper on the sidelines of the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, or parliament, in Beijing.
Earlier, Tan Naida, also a lieutenant general and also a delegate to the parliament, told reporters that Beijing's decision to acquire an aircraft carrier was no one else's business. "That's our own business, and foreigners shouldn't interfere. If we need it, we'll acquire it," Tan said.