BEIJING: As it forges a more assertive role for itself in the Pacific and beyond, Beijing’s massive naval build-up continued with the launch of China’s Fujian aircraft carrier on Wednesday for its first sea trials, according to state media.
The largest ship in the Chinese navy’s history, the Fujian is the country’s third aircraft carrier, behind the Liaoning and Shandong warships. According to state news agency Xinhua, it left Jiangnan Shipyard in eastern Shanghai at around eight in the morning.
It further stated that the trials would “primarily test the aircraft carrier’s electrical and propulsion systems’ stability and dependability.”
China is attempting to undermine the US-led alliance structure and increase its influence in the Pacific by rapidly growing its naval forces.
Notably, tensions have increased near Taiwan, the self-governing island, where Beijing has stationed the aircraft carrier Shandong, and in the disputed South China Sea, which it claims nearly entirely.
It is the world’s largest navy, according to a January Congressional Research Service report that cited the Pentagon and predicted it could increase to 435 ships by 2030.
According to the study, the purpose of the build-up is to “achieve a greater degree of control or domination over China’s near-seas region, particularly the South China Sea” and “address the situation with Taiwan militarily, if need be.”
“US intervention in a conflict in China’s near-seas region over Taiwan or some other issue, or failing that, delay the arrival or reduce the effectiveness of intervening US forces,” is what China wants its navy to be able to prevent, the country continued.
The Fujian is anticipated to have more sophisticated takeoff mechanisms, which will let the Chinese air force to deploy planes with bigger payloads and more fuel, according to analysts at the Washington-based think tank CSIS.
They stated that the ship would greatly enhance China’s naval prowess and grow to be the largest surface combatant in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy.
Taiwan’s top security official said on Wednesday that the country is prepared for China to conduct military drills following President-elect Lai Ching-te’s inauguration this month. He also mentioned that China has already started utilizing novel and unconventional strategies.
