China’s largest aircraft carrier enters service in key milestone for its naval ambitions

BEIJING - China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier entered active service on Nov 5, a milestone in the Chinese navy’s ambition to become a “blue water” force that can project power in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony for the Fujian and inspected the ship at Hainan island’s Sanya naval base, the official news agency Xinhua reported on Nov 7.

A published photo showed Mr Xi presenting a military flag to the Fujian’s captain and its political commissar. Mr Cai Qi, Mr Xi’s chief of staff, and Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing also attended the commissioning ceremony.

Newly promoted vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission Zhang Shengmin presided over the event.

Globally, the 80,000 tonne Fujian is the third-largest class of aircraft carrier in service, behind the United States’ Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers, which displace more than 100,000 tonnes.

The US Navy has 11 aircraft carriers in active service.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) operates two other aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong. Both displace around 50,000 tonnes and use a “ski jump” structure at one end of the ship to launch fixed-wing aircraft. 

In contrast, the biggest advancement of the conventionally powered Fujian is in its use of electromagnetic catapult technology, which allows heavier aircraft to be launched. The US is the only other country to use such technology on its carriers.

Chinese media have touted the impending “three-carrier era”.

Having three carriers in service is significant as, in theory, there could be one ship available for operations when the other two are undergoing training and maintenance.

The Fujian is meant to carry warplanes such as the J-35 and J-15T fighter jets, as well as the KJ-600 early warning aircraft. These planes flew at China’s “Victory Day” military parade on Sept 3 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Such early warning aircraft can detect targets flying at low altitudes from large distances.

China’s navy is already the largest in the world in terms of the number of warships, including submarines. According to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, in 2023, China operated 234 warships compared with the US Navy’s 219.

Officially launched in June 2022, the Fujian’s commissioning date had been a subject of speculation, especially after its latest and ninth sea trial that began on the week of Sept 7, which saw it pass through the Taiwan Strait to the South China Sea.

The Fujian began sea trials in May 2024.

China has maintained that its military development is defensive in nature.

“As a heavy instrument of a major power, the Fujian ship will certainly play its due role in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests,” said Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesman for China’s Defence Ministry, on Sept 16 at a regular press briefing.

Dr Yang Zi, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore who focuses on the Chinese military, said the purpose of building carriers is to enhance prestige, expand far-seas operational capability, assert regional dominance and fulfil China’s ambition to become a global naval power.

“The third carrier is another step in making the PLAN a true blue-water navy, necessary for realising Xi Jinping’s ‘strong military dream’,” he told The Straits Times.

“With the third carrier, China is expected to strengthen its ability to better defend critical sea lanes and more effectively challenge US naval dominance,” he added.

The growth of the PLAN will inevitably challenge the US Navy, raising the risk of frictions and conflicts, said Dr Yang.

In June, China deployed the Liaoning and Shandong to conduct simultaneous operations beyond the first island chain for the first time, a signal of its intention to challenge the US’ long-held maritime dominance in the Western Pacific region.

The strategically significant island chain stretches south-west from Japan’s Okinawa islands past Taiwan to the Philippines and through the South China Sea.

China’s enhanced power projection capabilities could severely weaken the first island chain, which has been a staple of US defences in Asia since the early Cold War in the 1950s, said Dr Yang.

This would compel Washington “to adjust its Indo-Pacific strategy, logistics and deployments, creating additional openings that the PLAN may seek to exploit”, he added.