What both monty and Tphuang said is true to a certain extend. But the issue is not just whether a country will do or can do. The main thing is, we have to look at the thing as a bigger picture. Indeed aircraft carrier is a good thing to have, and as argued so many times in this discussion, the need of this ship.
But first we have to look at the most likely adversary or country which have the capability to block the strait of malacca. Singapore? Malaysia? Australia? they are considered neighbours to China. If the strait is being block by any of this country and that the whole of ASEAN are too overstretch to do anything, then what will China's reaction be. Sent her CBG over? Took a couple of days or weeks to get to the strait of Malacca, not to mention the time needed to prepare for that assault. The manpower needed, the cost of that operation, the logistical nightmare, etc, etc.
Or do they simply press buttons and let loose a barriage of tactical missiles to hit these countries to tell them that she meant business?
If it was the USN that is blocking the straits, do you think China's CBG can do anything about it?
Let me tell you, the U.S is a paper tiger, which had toward decay, simply because it has 11 aircraft carriers, we would not be able to catch up with it?
In 1964, China successfully tested it's first atomic bomb,the U.S threatened will destroy China's neclear test base, if Mao Zedong thinking like you said: the U.S had so many nuclear weapons, the U.S had ICBMs, the U.S there were many military bases around China, the U.S could use nuclear weapons destroy the whole China, while China Only an atomic bomb, no missile can attack the U.S, there is no aircraft capable of carrying atomic bombs to the U.S, while the Q-5 attacker can not attack the U.S, like you guy said, we should not develop nuclear weapon, because this is useless.
but, how about today? who can threaten China with nuclear weapon?
China is rising like a red sun, PLAN will has many CBG, if 2020 not, how about 2030, latest 2040, PLAN will becom world navy power, in that time, you look backward PLAN development, just like we look backward 1964 China first atomic bomb.
