China's Zhang Youxia applauds near Steve Koehler (right), commander of the US Pacific Fleet, and Alexander Moiseyev (second from left) Russia's chief of Navy at the Western Pacific Navy Symposium in Qingdao on April 22, 2024. - AP
QINGDAO, China: One of China's top military leaders took a harsh line on regional territorial disputes, telling an international naval gathering in northeastern China on Monday (April 22) that the country would strike back with force if its interests came under threat.
The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium opened in Qingdao, where China’s northern naval force is based, providing a vivid backdrop to China's massive military expansion over the past two decades that has seen it build or refurbish three aircraft carriers.
