Xinhua
In a landmark moment for its naval ambitions, China has successfully commissioned the Fujian, its third and most advanced aircraft carrier, equipped with cutting-edge electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) for superior aircraft launch capabilities. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the commissioning and flag-raising ceremony on Wednesday at a naval port in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province.
Xi boarded the 80,000-tonne vessel to inspect its state-of-the-art systems, including the flat-deck design and J-35 stealth fighters compatibility. Launched in June 2022 and named after Fujian Province, the Fujian marks China’s first fully domestically designed and built carrier, shifting from ski-jump ramps used in predecessors Liaoning and Shandong.
This addition bolsters the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), already the world’s largest by hull count, enhancing power projection in the Pacific amid rising U.S.-China tensions. Analysts hail it as a technological leap, rivaling U.S. supercarriers, with sea trials since May 2024 validating its stealth and endurance features.
The event underscores Beijing’s maritime strategy, with Xi emphasizing integrated military-civilian development. Future deployments could reshape regional dynamics.