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Chinese Media on Friday reported that the the Country had commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the electromagnetic catapults-equipped Fujian. With this launch China has three aircraft carriers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian on Wednesday according to the Xinhua News Agency. Xi, boarded the aircraft carrier to inspect the vessel at a naval port in Sanya City, according to Xinhua. The Fujian was launched in June 2022 and named after Fujian Province. According to Chinese Media, the commissioning of the Fujian is a symbol of the achievements in the transformation of the PLA Navy from coastal defense to far seas defence, marking that China has officially entered an era with three aircraft carriers, as well as an era of electromagnetic catapult-equipped carrier. The use of the electromagnetic catapult system enables aircraft to take off with full fuel and ammunition, increasing the combat radius and enhancing the attack capability; it also allows for a significant increase of aircraft carrier sortie rate. On September 22, the PLA Navy announced that the Fujian had achieved a breakthrough by hosting the first catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landing training for the J-15T heavy fighter jet, the J-35 stealth fighter jet, and the KJ-600 early warning aircraft. These aircraft, along with the J-15DT carrier-borne electronic warfare aircraft, were also featured in China's V-Day military parade held in Beijing on September 3, reported the Global Times. With a full-load displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices. Since its first sea trials in May 2024, the Fujian has carried out a series of maritime tests according to plan, progressing with equipment commissioning and assessments of overall operational stability, reported Global Times. Meanwhile on November 4, China denied US President Donald Trump's claim that it is secretly conducting nuclear weapons tests, rejecting the allegation and calling it "completely false." Responding to Trump's remarks made during a CBS interview, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday that Beijing maintains a self-defensive nuclear strategy and follows its moratorium on nuclear testing. (ANI)
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