China acquired an old Soviet Kuznetsov-class carrier hull as an apparent floating casino in 1998 for 20 million dollars, underwent complex international negotiations to transit the Dardanelles, lost its tow in a storm costing a sailor's life, circumnavigated Africa rather than using Suez Canal, and rebuilt it into the Liaoning to gain carrier operating experience, demonstrating both how nations acquire carrier capability and the complications of the process.