The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is likely deploy at least one aircraft carrier for permanent operations in the South China Sea once its second ship is fully operational, a Chinese academic told IHS Jane’s on 28 January.

Professor Chu Shulong, who is currently the director of the Institute of International Strategic and Development Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, was speaking toIHS Jane’s after giving a lecture on Chinese military modernisation and security strategy at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore. Chu is also a professor at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Party School.