[Zhang Fei]

[If the Chinese truly used a junked old Soviet carrier as the model for how to build a carrier, then I wish that crew good luck because they’re going to need it. We’ve seen how well Soviet naval ships perform, and it shouldn’t exactly inspire confidence in anyone.

Building a modern super carrier properly takes an incredible level of shipbuilding expertise and experience, which the Chinese lack.

My opinion is there are going to be horror stories told about this ship for decades. It’ll be like one of those creaky French aircraft carriers, except worse.]

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For much of the last 2 decades, they’ve been trading, back and forth, the top 2 spots for commercial shipping orders by tonnage with the Koreans. What’s your take on whether any of this knowhow carries over into the construction of naval vessels?

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Very little. It’s like the difference between building/operating a school bus, and building/operating an M1A2 Abrams tank.