(Ecns.cn) – Compared to the refitted ex-Soviet Varyag, China's first aircraft carrier, another huge white ship bearing hull number 88 has drawn far less attention from the world. However, the function and value of that ship should not be underestimated, according to military enthusiasts.
Last month, when the Varyag finished its maiden sea trial and returned to port in Dalian, it was dragged to the dock by seven tugboats. About an hour later, the PLA Navy '88' support ship also returned to port following the same route.
Not long after, military fans posted photos and video clips online, along with speculation that Ship 88 and the Varyag were in some way strategically connected.
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Sensitive military fans noticed that Ship 88 had departed the Dalian port on August 7, and immediately felt that the Varyag would also set off in the next few days. On August 10, that theory proved to be true.
It had already been indicated that Ship 88 was an operational vessel of the PLA Navy. Though smaller than the Varyag, it weighs in at about 20,000 tons, with a displacement equal to that of a light aircraft carrier.
Its mysterious status prompted much speculation. Some said it was a vessel for medical treatment and some believed it was a safeguard for the Varyag's crew, while others thought it was a training ship.
According to a retired military officer who had worked on a frigate, the navy differs from the army because the navy considers the ocean home instead of the land. Yet traditional Chinese naval vessels have focused more on battle equipment, while ignoring their living environments; cabins have usually been small and narrow, and crews have mostly been deprived of the comforts of home.
Eating while squatting on the deck, meeting while sitting on campstools and sleeping on on hanging boards were typical features of a Chinese navy crew, which shocked foreign naval officers when they paid a visit.
Advanced equipment is undoubtedly a crucial factor for strength in battle, but the healthy physical and mental state of the crew also has much to do with a navy's combat power.
In April 2009, Admiral Wu Shengli, commander of China's navy, said that the country will make every effort to develop the navy into a "blue-water navy" by increasing military spending by 15 to 20 percent a year.
Now, as China plans to train the crew for its first aircraft carrier, it will require them to travel far away for long periods of time. Under such conditions, Ship 88 may satisfy the needs of the crew and technical personnel in terms of basic living conditions.
