China’s advanced Fujian aircraft carrier ready to start sea trials this year, a boost for military capacity

The country’s newest carrier is viewed as central to Xi Jinping’s goal of returning the country to the forefront of global powers by 2049
The vessel is expected to have a major presence in the Taiwan Strait

China’s military

Cyril Ip

Published: 4:30pm, 3 Jan 2023

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China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, Fujian, is expected to start sea trials this year, according to the ship’s vice-captain, a development that will further advance the country’s military capabilities.

“In the new year, we must take hold of all the work centred on the sea trials and contribute to realising the army’s [Two Centenaries] goals,” said Qian Shumin in a video address shared on Tuesday.

The second of President Xi Jinping’s Two Centenaries goals is to return the nation to the forefront of global powers by 2049 when the People’s Republic of China celebrates its 100th anniversary.

01:29

What is known about the Fujian, China’s first home-designed aircraft carrier

The Fujian is China’s biggest and most complex warship yet and marks a milestone in Xi’s project to modernise the military and narrow the gap with the United States. It resembles the newest US carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, which is the only other warship equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults.

After launching in June, the ship is now being fitted out at the Jiangnan Shipyard near Shanghai, while simultaneous mooring trials were begun in September to reduce the time until delivery.

The fit-out process – when construction is completed and the ship is prepared for delivery – follows the vessel’s launch and comes before sea trials. Mooring trials test the systems on a vessel – how they work individually as well as together – from power propulsion to mechanical equipment.

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“President Xi [Jinping] specifically mentioned the launch of the Fujian in his New Year’s message. As a member of the Fujian ship, we are deeply proud and honoured,” Qian said, referring to the vessel appearing on Xi’s shortlist of China’s achievements over the past year.

The Fujian is expected to have a major presence in the Taiwan Strait, an issue Xi also addressed on Saturday.

“The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of one and the same family. I sincerely hope that our compatriots on both sides of the strait will work together with a unity of purpose to jointly foster lasting prosperity of the Chinese nation,” Xi said.

The Fujian will play a significant role in any military conflict in the strait. where there have been rising tensions with the US over recent months.

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US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s whirlwind visit to Taiwan in August triggered retaliatory actions from Beijing, including live-fire drills in waters around the self-ruled island.

But tensions have eased since Xi and US President Joe Biden met in November on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit where the latter reaffirmed that the US did not support Taiwan independence and had no intention of engaging in conflict with China. Washington is, however, planning to boost arms sales to Taipei.

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China’s first aircraft carrier the Liaoning and its escorting vessels have been conducting exercises in the western Pacific since mid-December. It was spotted near the US island territory of Guam on Friday.

According to a statement last week from the Japanese Ministry of Defence’s Joint Staff Office, the Liaoning group was spotted 670km (416 miles) southeast of Okinotorishima, the southernmost part of Japan, and about 618km northwest of Guam, then it returned to waters between Taiwan and Japan.

Japan also said that for 10 days from December 17, Chinese carrier-based aircraft conducted about 260 take-offs and landings.