After three years of testing, the aircraft carrier FujianThe most advanced warship built by China has officially entered service, state media reported on Friday. The solemn flag delivery ceremony for its incorporation into the Navy took place two days earlier in the naval port of Sanya (island province of Hainan) and was presided over by the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in his capacity as president of the Central Military Commission (the body that directs the Armed Forces).
The modernization of the People’s Liberation Army is one of the goals that Xi has prioritized during his 13 years at the helm of the country. and the Fujian It symbolizes that very technological leap and its growing ability to project military power into the region and advance the goal of challenging the United States for naval dominance.
This type of ship would be fundamental both in a hypothetical offensive against Taiwan (the democratically self-governed island that Beijing considers an inalienable part of Chinese territory) and in its deterrent function against the United States in that area.
It is the first completely Chinese-designed aircraft carrier: the Liaoning and the Shandong They rely on Soviet technology and are the first to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults for launching aircraft. This is a system that until now only the American aircraft carrier had. USS Gerald R. Ford. Last week, aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington At the American naval base in Yokosuka (Japan), President Donald Trump declared that he wanted to abandon this “stupid technology”, which he defined as “expensive”, “unreliable” and “difficult to repair”, and return to the steam propulsion system.
Compared to conventional launch decks, these catapults allow aircraft to take off more frequently, at higher speeds, from a shorter distance and with a larger load of fuel and ammunition. According to the Xinhua agency, the decision to use this system was “made personally by Xi”.
In images broadcast by the CCTV television network, the crew formed on the bridge appears greeting the Chinese leader after his inspection and chanting: “Let’s follow the direction of the Party! So we can win the battles! Let’s maintain exemplary conduct!”
Another advantage of Fujian compared to its Chinese counterparts is that it can integrate fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, which also increases its operational capability. Both Liaoning like him Shandong They sailed near Taiwan during military maneuvers China has carried out around the island in recent years.
In its 2024 report on China’s military modernization, the Pentagon noted that newness The aircraft carrier would strengthen the Chinese military’s strike capability by deploying highly specialized aircraft from its deck, such as electronic warfare aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft. Since Liaoning Entering service in 2012, the Navy has operated its aircraft carriers cautiously, primarily as a test platform. But in recent years they have begun operating further afield, as far away as Japan and near Guam.
More ambitious missions
International analysts predict that the Fujian It will mark the beginning of more ambitious missions, a view shared by military expert Zhang Junshe. In an interview with the official newspaper Global Times, Zhang states that the official constitution of Fujian It represents a “milestone” and a “concrete example” of the transformation of the Chinese Navy, which is moving “from a coastal defense model to a distant water defense model”.
Song Zhongping, military commentator quoted by the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning PostHowever, it believes that despite “tremendous progress,” three carrier battle groups are “not enough” to act as a deterrent in the event of interference in the Taiwan Strait, the hottest spot in the ever-rough waters of the South China Sea. “Chinese aircraft carriers still have some shortcomings in terms of performance, number and combat experience, which makes it difficult to face countries with real intervention capability,” defends Song.
Him Fujian It began sea trials in May last year, two years after its launch in June 2022. It took 40 months to be officially incorporated into Navy service, after successfully passing a series of sea tests to check the functionality of its weapons, electronics and aircraft onboard systems. The period was longer than that of Shandong (32 months), but slightly less than the 44 months needed by its American rival USS Gerald R. Ford following its launch in November 2013.
Various analysts It is believed that the Chinese military could operate six aircraft carriers by 2035, although Beijing has not confirmed this is a goal. Satellite images reported by several international media suggest that the room may already be under construction.
