China launches sea trials for its next-generation aircraft carrier

NEW DELHI: China commenced sea trials for its third and most sophisticated aircraft carrier, the Fujian, on Wednesday.
The initiation of tests by the Chinese navy occurred almost two years after the aircraft carrier's unveiling in June 2022.
The Fujian, entirely conceived and constructed domestically, surpasses both the Shandong, commissioned in late 2019, and the Liaoning, which China acquired second-hand from Ukraine in 1998, in terms of size and technological advancement.
According to CCTV, the Fujian embarked on its sea trial journey from a shipyard in Shanghai shortly after 8 a.m. (0000 GMT).
The development of the Fujian is integral to Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of positioning China as the predominant military force in the region, boasting a "blue-water" navy capable of projecting power far beyond China's coastal boundaries.
Featuring a full-length, flat flight deck equipped with a catapult-launch system for jets, the Fujian derives its name from the Chinese province situated opposite democratically governed Taiwan.
Previously stationed at Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard, the Fujian underwent extensive testing.
The sea trials represent the final phase before the aircraft carrier is officially commissioned into service by China's navy.
Currently, the United States possesses the largest number of aircraft carriers, with 11 carriers and nine aircraft-carrying amphibious assault ships.