China has officially commissioned its first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier, Fujian, marking a major milestone in the country’s naval modernization program. The carrier, named after the coastal province facing Taiwan, represents a new generation of warship design and technology for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
President Xi Jinping presided over the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony held in Hainan province on Wednesday. Following the event, Xi boarded the vessel for an inspection, underscoring the ship’s strategic significance amid rising regional tensions.
Fujian: A technological leap in Chinese naval engineering
Unlike China’s first two aircraft carriers—Liaoning and Shandong, which were based on older Russian designs—the Fujian is the first homegrown supercarrier built entirely using Chinese technology. It features a flat-top flight deck equipped with electromagnetic catapult launch systems (EMALS), similar to those used on U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class carriers.
This advancement enables the Fujian to launch heavier and more advanced aircraft, including China’s new J-35 stealth fighter, the KJ-600 airborne early-warning aircraft, and upgraded variants of the J-15 fighter. The EMALS system allows faster sortie rates and greater operational efficiency compared to ski-jump ramps used on the earlier carriers.
Enhanced airpower and combat capability
With its larger deck and high-tech systems, the Fujian is expected to carry a higher number of aircraft and sustain longer operational missions. Analysts believe the new carrier could transform China’s naval reach, allowing it to project airpower far beyond its traditional coastal zones.
During sea trials, the Fujian successfully conducted multiple flight operations, including take-offs and landings of stealth and early-warning aircraft. These trials are crucial steps toward achieving full combat readiness, which may take several years of integrated training with support vessels and submarines.
Strategic implications in the Indo-Pacific
The commissioning of the Fujian comes amid growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait and increased U.S. naval activity in the South China Sea. Military observers suggest that China’s newest carrier is designed not only to enhance its defense capabilities but also to assert greater regional influence and counterbalance U.S. carrier strike groups in the Indo-Pacific.
As China transitions from regional defense to blue-water operations, the Fujian stands as a symbol of its technological progress, strategic ambition, and evolving maritime doctrine—marking a new era for the Chinese navy’s global presence.
