China launches most advanced aircraft carrier
The news comes as tensions in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific remain high on high after the announcement of the AUKUS agreement, which some experts say has been launched to deter China’s presence in the region . Furthermore, harsh rhetoric comes from Beijing about the future of Taiwan after a high-profile meeting by defense ministers in Singapore, including officials from China and the US.
With the launch of the Fugian from the Jiangnan shipyard, the vessel becomes the most advanced type in the Chinese navy.
In a video showing the giant ship, fanfare and spectacle accompany the event with all the splendor and circumstances expected around such a show of power.
The vessel is the first domestically manufactured aircraft carrier with the catapult launch system known on many similar American models.
Its electromagnetic catapult-assisted launch system is a major upgrade over the less advanced ski jumping style system used on the Liaoning and Shandong, its two predecessors, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
China launches third aircraft carrier (Image: YouTube)
The carrier is named after the nearest Chinese province to Taiwan (Image: YouTube)
China becomes the world’s fourth largest operator of aircraft carriers behind the US, France and Japan respectively.
However, China’s fleet remains the world’s largest.
The Fugian also comes with a formidable range of weapons and systems built into the ship.
The vessel is very similar to American equivalents, especially the USS Gerald R Ford.
Although it is not known exactly how many aircraft the Fugian can carry, there are reports that China is developing a carrier version of its FC-31 stealth fighter.
By comparison, the new U.S. airlines can carry more than 75 aircraft that include dozens of F-35C Lightning and F / A-18 Super Hornets.
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It is not known how many aircraft the carrier will hold, but it is likely that FC-31s will join the fleet. (Image: YouTube)
China builds diplomatic ties with Solomon Islands (Image: Getty)
Speaking of the launch, Matthew Funaiole, a senior fellow at the CSIS’s China project, said: “This is a pretty important step forward.
“They are really committed to building a service provider program, and they continue to push the boundaries of what they can do.”
In a warning to Taiwan, the ship was named after Fugian province, which is especially the closest Chinese province to the breakaway island.
Furthermore, in light of the AUKUS agreement – which China never specifically mentioned in its plans – Beijing has promised to strengthen its presence across the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific.
In a recent show of strength, China came closer to Australian territory in an agreement signed with the Solomon Islands, with some experts suggesting that Beijing uses the agreement to build naval bases on the island in a “piece-by-piece” process. to build.
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China currently enjoys the world’s largest fleet (Image: Getty)
Speaking about the need to build and launch China’s third aircraft carrier, Li Jie, a Chinese naval expert, said: “Based on the general pattern of aircraft carrier operation, a country must have a certain number of aircraft carriers to ensure that they are effective. can be. deployed.
“To maintain air superiority and control over the sea in a strategic region, three aircraft carriers are needed.
“One will be placed on combat alert, one on training missions, and the other will be placed under maintenance.”
Senior Captain Liu Wensheng, spokesperson for the PLA Navy, said on Friday: “The Navy will choose the deployment site of the Fujian based on the need to protect national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as the characteristics of carrier operations and logistics. support conditions of the port. ”
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China’s Wang Wenbin said there were “no international waters” in Taiwan Strait (Image: Getty)
In an equal show of force, the U.S. Navy allegedly sent a warship to the South China Sea on Saturday, just one day after a U.S. spy plane flew over the Straits of Taiwan under the close surveillance of the Chinese Liberation Army.
According to Chinese sources, the USS Benfold entered the South China Sea through the Verde islet in the Philippines.
Recent U.S. military activity in the region has attracted media attention, especially since Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made it clear earlier this month that there was no such thing as “international waters” at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Maritime law is not, and that China has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Strait of Taiwan.
For more stories like this, follow Defense and Security Correspondent James Lee on Twitter @JamesLee_DE