You say that rather casually. And without any expection of people being alarmed. Yet, that is the realit of the how the Western world sees itself and how it sees other countries.
Britain is building two Queen Elizabeth class carriers, and it doesn't make news. Can even be an after thought. Yet China is 22 times bigger than Britain by population, builds one carrier, and people become alarmed.
If China was a developed nation (which she likely will achieve in about 30 years), a commensurate number of carriers with Britain would be 44 (forty four) Queen Elizabeth class carriers.
China, of course, doesn't need that many to defend herself. But I feel China has a right to build, say 8-10. Which she likely will do over the next 30 or more years. And proportionally speaking, will still be less than if Britain only commissions one Queen Elizabeth class carrier.
I get lamblasted everytime I say this, but much of the fear is based on a Western centric view of the world.
Are you a PRC disinformation agent?
The UK is building two carriers...but only one of them may get completed and commissioned...and then will have to wait several years before it has effective fighters to fly off its decks at this point.
The Chinese finished this one and are building two more as we speak. short of a massive melt down (which is possible) they will build them and field them very qquickly...and probably start two more right ehind that.
Such an occurance, with the additional military vessels to back them up...which they simulataneously are building and fielding, will upset the naval military balance in the WESTPAC significantly.
The issue will be what they do with them. Red China is stuill a totalitarian, Communist regime. They have figured out that the Mauist and Lenninst economic models do not work and have adopted more of a fascist economic model.
With any nationalist spirit developing amongst their populace and you have the potential for a very dangerous situation if it grows over a decade or two...think what Nazi Germany did...multiplied several times over.
\It took mots of the rest of the world to put the Nazis down. I hope we do not see iot go that far.
I don't personally think that China having a carrier is, in and of itself, such a big deal. It's what it portends that is slightly worrying. China's economy is booming, the Western economies are stagnating. China's military is expanding (in both numbers and capability), the West's military is contracting. China's power and influence is growing, the power and influence of the West is retreating. Excuse me if I find the fact of my culture declining while that of another is expanding into the resulting gap a bad thing.