China’s 3rd aircraft carrier Fujian sets out for maiden sea trials

BEIJING: China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, the most advanced homemade warship, began its maiden sea trials on Wednesday as Beijing ramped up its naval power amid increasing tensions with the US in the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

The ship left Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard on Wednesday morning for the sea trials, primarily to test the reliability and stability of the aircraft carrier’s propulsion and electrical systems, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Since its launch in June 2022, the Fujian has completed its mooring trials, outfitting work and equipment adjustments. It has met the technical requirements for sea trials. Ahead of the trials, China has imposed maritime traffic controls around the mouth of the Yangtze River where the Jiangnan shipyard ship is located for “military activities”. The traffic controls would last till May 9, the report said.

According to the official media reports, China plans to have five to six aircraft carriers by 2035 for strategic deployment in the disputed South China Sea, where Beijing seeks to assert its claims over most of the vast area, the Taiwan Strait which separates the Chinese mainland and Taiwan and the Indian Ocean where Beijing is increasing its power projection.

Elaborating on China’s strategy in acquiring aircraft carriers, Senior Col. (rtd) Zhou Bo, who spent four decades with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said China sees their importance for possible war far from home.

“I can tell you that aircraft carriers are primarily not for coastal fights. They are for a possible war far from home,” Bo, who is a senior fellow with the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University said.

Tugboats towing China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian in Shanghai