Eyes on Africa as China Builds its Third Aircraft Carrier

China has been building its third aircraft carrier, a vessel that appears to be larger than the country’s older two aircraft carriers. This is based on photos of the new carrier, which is currently under construction at shipyard on an island located to the northeast of Shanghai. The carrier looks ready to launch soon, according to The Economist magazine.

The magazine also reports that China also has been building a new pier at its first naval base at the Red Sea port of Djibouti. The pier will be capable of supporting aircraft carriers. China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was constructed from an aircraft carrier hull that was towed from Ukraine to China in 2001. After years of refits, the Liaoning was turned into a training ship in September, 2012, according to the website ChinaPower.

Andrew Erickson, a U.S.-based expert on naval affairs, said that “for some, the Liaoning was a symbol of China’s global power.” “For others,” Erickson said, “it represented a significant step forward toward a more muscular and assertive Chinese navy.” China second aircraft carrier was launched on April 26, 2017.

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