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China Commissions Fujian, Its First EMALS Carrier, in Push for Blue-Water Power

The milestone advances Beijing’s blue‑water ambitions with full combat capability still to come.

China's third aircraft carrier, CNS Fujian, holds a commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony at a naval port in Sanya, Hainan province, on November 5, 2025.
The CV-18 Fujian seen during the commissioning ceremony, showing the newly painted ‘18’ on its deck. (Image credit: CCTV)
Image
Aircraft carrier Fujian at her commissioning ceremony on November 5, 2025 in Sanya, together with carrier Shandong and a Type 075 LHD in the background. Image Chinese state media.

Overview

  • Xi Jinping presided over the November 5 commissioning in Sanya, bringing China’s third carrier formally into service.
  • The Fujian features electromagnetic catapults, and Chinese media say J-35 stealth fighters, J-15T variants and KJ-600 early-warning aircraft have conducted catapult launches and arrested landings during trials.
  • Displacing over 80,000 tons with three catapults and two elevators, the ship makes China the nation with the second-largest carrier fleet, though the United States operates 11 carriers.
  • Conventional propulsion limits the carrier’s endurance, with reported range estimates of roughly 8,000 to 10,000 nautical miles compared with nuclear-powered U.S. supercarriers.
  • State media say phased sea trials and air-wing integration will continue before full combat readiness, as analysts flag potential sortie-rate limits from the deck layout and note a follow-on Type 004 under construction that may adopt nuclear power.