Did China just drop a hint that its next aircraft carrier will be nuclear-powered?
A video released to mark the PLA Navy’s anniversary uses wordplay to suggest that a new warship is under construction
A Chinese naval video has fuelled speculation that its next aircraft carrier is likely to be nuclear-powered.
The film Into The Deep was released on Wednesday to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
Highlighting the continuity of China’s maritime ambitions, from coastal defence to a “blue-water” navy capable of deep-sea operations, the film also included footage from real-life drills in the western Pacific and the use of advanced equipment.
It also showed a compass being handed down through generations of naval officers, but their names were what really caught the attention of military analysts and social media users.
The officers representing the previous three generations were called Liao Ning, Shan Dong, and Fu Jian – the names of China’s three commissioned carriers.
But a fourth character – a 19-year-old recruit named He Jian – prompted speculation he represented the next carrier, which is expected to have the hull number 19.
By convention, carriers are named after provinces – but there is no province called Hejian. Instead, “He” sounds like the Chinese word for “nuclear” and “Jian” is the word for a “ship”.