Ever since its first aircraft carrier, the CNS Liaoning, was commissioned in 2012 China has been trying to build such vessels using domestic technology. Yet recent media reports saying China may soon launch its first domestically built aircraft carrier have drawn wide national and international attention.

A domestically built aircraft carrier indeed marks a very important step for China toward boosting its naval combat capability and helping safeguard its national interests across the oceans. Aircraft carriers are an important, and in these times a necessary, component of a country's navy.

Despite that can China transform its navy into an ocean-going maritime force without developing aircraft carriers? The answer is definitely "no".