May 1st 2024.
China has taken a significant step in ramping up its naval power with the launch of its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian. This advanced homemade warship embarked on its maiden sea trials on Wednesday, amidst rising tensions with the United States in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.
According to reports from the state-run Xinhua news agency, the Fujian set sail from Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard in the morning to conduct trials. The main purpose of these trials is to test the reliability and stability of the aircraft carrier's propulsion and electrical systems. Since its launch in June 2022, the Fujian has successfully completed its mooring trials, outfitting work, and equipment adjustments, meeting all technical requirements for sea trials.
As a precautionary measure, China has imposed maritime traffic controls around the mouth of the Yangtze River, where the Jiangnan shipyard is located. These controls will remain in place until May 9, in order to facilitate "military activities."
China has set ambitious goals for its naval fleet, planning to have five to six aircraft carriers by 2035. These carriers will be strategically deployed in the South China Sea, where China is in dispute with neighboring countries over territorial claims, as well as the Taiwan Strait and the Indian Ocean. Currently, China is engaged in a standoff with the Philippines, a US ally, in the South China Sea over the Second Thomas Shoal.
The Fujian is named after the province of the same name, which borders the Taiwan Strait. China has a tradition of naming its aircraft carriers after its provinces, with the other two carriers being named after Liaoning and Shandong. The Liaoning was a refit of a Soviet-era ship commissioned in 2012, while the Shandong was domestically built and launched in 2019.
The Fujian is China's first fully domestically developed and constructed aircraft carrier, equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system similar to that of the American USS Gerald R. Ford. It has a displacement of over 80,000 tonnes, making it 20,000 tonnes larger than the other two carriers. Unlike its predecessors, which have ski-jump take-off ramps, the Fujian features a flat-top flight deck. It will operate with the indigenously built J-15 aircraft.
China's investment in modernizing its navy has been a significant part of its military doctrine since 2013. This has included building new aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, and assault ships, in line with its goal of expanding its global influence. It is estimated that China is currently building a new naval ship every month and is also aiding Pakistan in modernizing its navy with the supply of advanced frigates and submarines.
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