China’s third aircraft carrier Fujian’, the heaviest and most advanced compared to its two previous warships, is gearing up for sea trials, official media reported on Wednesday.
State-run China Central Television displayed the latest footage of the domestically built aircraft carrier on its news programme which showed the three electromagnetic catapult tracks uncovered on the ship.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will push forward with the mooring trials of CNS Fujian, China’s second domestically-made aircraft carrier, as scheduled in the new year, said Yin Hongxin, an officer aboard the vessel, official China Daily reported.
China’s official media often creates buzz about the progress of new defence equipment like new ships, fighter jets and missiles, displaying their photos to generate public interest.
China launched Fujian in June 2022 with a lot of fanfare with claims that it could match the US aircraft carriers in terms of technology as Beijing is increasingly coming under pressure from Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy especially in the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan, which it claims as part of its territory.
China claims most of the South China Sea while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims.