Beijing: China has commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, stated to be the most modern warship equipped with electromagnetic catapults, at a ceremony attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, wrapped in secrecy.
While the official media reported its commissioning on Friday, a report by state-run Xinhua news agency said that Xi attended the commissioning and flag-presentation ceremony of the Fujian on Wednesday at Sanya port in south China’s Hainan Province.
The Fujian is equipped with an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), used only by the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
“After the ceremony, Xi Jinping boarded the Fujian… and learned about the development of the aircraft carrier system combat capabilities and the construction and application of the electromagnetic catapult system,” Xinhua said.
Footage of the proceedings released by state broadcaster CCTV showed Xi and other top officials from the country’s ruling Communist Party in attendance at the port.
Engaged in a naval rivalry with Washington in the fraught maritime region, China lags behind the United States in overall military prowess, analysts say.
But Beijing has directed billions of dollars into its military in recent years, a trend that has unnerved some governments in East Asia despite China insisting its aims are peaceful.
The navy in particular has seen a massive expansion as leaders seek to grow the country’s reach in the Pacific and challenge a US-led alliance.
After conducting sea trials in recent months, the Fujian now joins China’s two other carriers in active operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong.
Analysts have said that the latest carrier boasts more advanced take-off systems, allowing the Chinese air force to deploy jets carrying larger payloads and more fuel.
