China Commissions New Fujian Aircraft Carrier, Marking Major Step in Naval Modernisation

BEIJING, Nov 8: China has officially commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, in a significant milestone for President Xi Jinping’s efforts to modernize the nation’s military and expand its naval power projection across the Asia-Pacific region.

According to state news agency Xinhua, the commissioning ceremony took place on Wednesday (Nov 5) at a naval base in Hainan province, attended by senior Chinese military officials and presided over by President Xi himself.

Xi “personally decided” that the Fujian, named after the province facing Taiwan, would be equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), a technology previously found only on the US Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford.

The EMALS system allows for smoother and more powerful aircraft launches, enabling Chinese fighter jets to take off with heavier payloads and extended fuel capacity, greatly enhancing the carrier’s strike range and operational efficiency.

“After the ceremony, Xi Jinping boarded the Fujian and learned about the development of its combat capabilities and electromagnetic catapult system,” Xinhua reported. “He also entered the control tower and solemnly signed the ship’s logbook.”

The Fujian joins China’s existing carriers, the Liaoning (commissioned in 2012) and the Shandong (commissioned in 2019). Unlike its predecessors, which feature ski-jump ramps for aircraft takeoff, the Fujian’s EMALS technology marks a major leap in capability and design sophistication.

Defense analyst Collin Koh of Nanyang Technological University described the Fujian as “by many measures more capable” than China’s earlier carriers.

“Compared to the ski-jump configured Liaoning and Shandong, the Fujian offers greater combat persistence and striking power,” Koh told AFP.

The commissioning comes as Beijing continues to expand its naval strength amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and ongoing claims over Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province.

In September, the Fujian conducted sea trials and sailed through the Taiwan Strait, reportedly to carry out “scientific research and training missions.” The maneuver brought the vessel within roughly 200 kilometers of the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, prompting monitoring by Japan and Taiwan.

China also released state media footage showing J-35 stealth fighters taking off and landing on the carrier’s deck, hailed as a “new breakthrough” in Chinese naval aviation.

While China remains far behind the United States, which currently operates 11 aircraft carriers, the Fujian underscores Beijing’s rapid progress in modernizing its armed forces and extending its maritime reach.

Analysts say the ship’s induction signals Beijing’s intent to assert itself more confidently in regional waters and project power beyond the first island chain, reshaping the balance of naval strength in the Indo-Pacific.