China's new aircraft carrier Fujian gets ready for the seas

Amidst rising tensions and global military competition, China's maritime ambitions are once again on display as its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, gets ready for the seas. Moored at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, the warship has recently undergone significant modifications, including the dismantling of key structures on its deck. According to a report from the Financial Times, these alterations indicate the commencement of testing for its propulsion system, a crucial step in its journey to full operational status.

The Fujian represents a pivotal moment in China's quest for projecting military power far beyond its coastlines. As the first domestically designed aircraft carrier, it symbolizes President Xi Jinping's broader objective of transforming the People's Liberation Army into a "world-class military" by the middle of this century.

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Foreign defense experts and analysts closely monitor the Fujian's progress, as its test runs and eventual deployment will provide insights into China's military capabilities and its ability to challenge the United States' dominance in the Pacific region. This development comes against the backdrop of growing military pressure from Beijing on Taiwan, raising international concerns.

According to Hsu Yen-chi, a researcher at the Council on Strategic and Wargaming Studies think-tank in Taipei who spoke with FT, the Fujian aims to counter the air superiority of the US and its allies in the western Pacific and east Asia, providing the PLA with greater operational freedom. Hsu notes that the Fujian incorporates new technologies not previously used by the PLA, which could prolong its testing phase.

Nonetheless, it is expected to commence sea trials by the end of the year. Over the past two years, the PLA Navy has expanded its training missions in the western Pacific, bringing its existing aircraft carriers closer to Guam, a strategic location with several large US military bases. While the Liaoning and the Shandong, China's two existing carriers, have been involved in these missions, their size and outdated designs have limited the scale of their operations.

Compared to the US Navy's advanced carriers, which employ nuclear propulsion systems, the Fujian relies on conventional power, making it slower and reducing its operational range. However, it incorporates an electromagnetic catapult launch system, putting it on par with the US Navy's USS Gerald Ford, its most advanced carrier. In contrast, the Liaoning and Shandong use older ski-jump ramps for aircraft launches. As China continues to invest in its naval capabilities, the Fujian's progress underscores the country's ambition to assert itself as a maritime power, challenging the United States' naval supremacy in the region.