BEIJING -- China's efforts to develop an aircraft carrier  program will not change the defensive  nature of its defense policy, said a signed commentary published in Friday's PLA Daily newspaper, the voice of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). After China officially confirmed that it is planning an aircraft carrier program by announcing a refitting  project of an imported aircraft carrier for the purposes of scientific research and training, some voices overseas expressed concern that China's possession of an aircraft carrier could upset the regional and global strategic balance.    At present, China is only making use of an old aircraft carrier platform for scientific research, experiments and training, and it still will take a long time before the country actually has an operational carrier, said the commentary signed by Peng Guangqian.     Even when China has a carrier, it will stick to the defensive nature of its defense policy, the commentary said, adding that China has plenty of reasons and legitimacy   to have an aircraft carrier. China is currently the only country without an operational aircraft carrier among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. Other countries, including Spain, Italy, India, Brazil and Thailand also have carriers. This situation does not  _ China's international status, the commentary said. Another article said a carrier will help promote Chinese citizens' awareness of maritime   affairs, increase the capability  to safeguard the country's maritime interests as well as the capability to participate in international maritime joint   operations, such as salvage, counterterrorism and piracy crackdowns, it said. The main idea of the news report is to tell us   _  .
where and how China will build an aircraft carrier the aims for China to develop an aircraft carrier program China is going to buy some aircraft carriers from Europe China only plans to make an aircraft carrier but hasn't put it into practice