China’s latest aircraft carrier enters fleet as naval competition with the US heats up

China’s latest and most capable aircraft carrier has officially entered service, a significant step forward for Beijing as it seeks to catch up with the United States on naval supremacy. Chinese leader Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony for the Fujian at a military port in Sanya on Hainan island earlier this week, China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday.

The Fujian is China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, featuring electromagnetic catapults that can launch three aircraft types, according to Chinese state media.T he new tech, known as EMALS, allows planes to take off with heavier weapon and fuel loads, so they can strike enemy targets at greater distances.

The only other aircraft carrier in the world that has the EMALS system is the US Navy’s newest carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, which was certified for flight deck operations using the EMALS system in the spring of 2022. The decision to adopt the technology for the Fujian was personally made by Xi, Chinese state media said.

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