Peng Guangqian, an expert on military strategy at the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Science, said China's policy of defensive military development is shared by mainstream public opinion, according to the findings.

Photo shows the 'Varyag' aircraft carrier being built at a shipyard in Dalian, China. The great 'Varyag' is going to be China's first aircraft carrier.[File photo]

"China's aircraft carrier, if there is one, is only part of the nation's military equipment advancement under the defense policy principle. It won't serve any strategy of global expansion or contending for supremacy," Peng said.

The reasons most often cited in the survey as to why China should develop an aircraft carrier were as follows: it would give a boost to China's military technology development and army building (75.2 percent), it would be capable of protecting China's overseas interests in missions such as withdrawing Chinese citizens from dangerous situations (59.4 percent), and it would serve as a counterbalance to the US and contain its hegemony (50.9 percent).

Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times that an aircraft carrier could also serve to secure economic development in more complicated international security settings.

"China has an increasing demand for resources and energy, some of which have to be imported from abroad. If their transportation and trade are threatened, industrialization and urbanization will be in question," Song said.

China is the world's second largest oil consumer, and its dependence on crude oil imports stood at a record high 53.7 percent in 2010, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs in January.

In addition, 68 percent of respondents supported the idea of China building more than one carrier in the future, while opposition to the idea accounted for a quarter of opinions polled.