Overview
- Xi Jinping presided over the flag‑presentation ceremony in Sanya, Hainan, formally inducting the roughly 80,000‑ton Fujian as China’s third aircraft carrier.
- The carrier debuts EMALS electromagnetic catapults—previously fielded only on the US Gerald R. Ford—allowing heavier takeoff loads and longer‑range missions for embarked aircraft.
- Fujian uses conventional propulsion, necessitating periodic refueling at sea or in port, and will require prolonged workups before it is fully combat ready.
- Former US carrier officers and Chinese military commentary point to deck‑layout constraints that could limit sortie tempo to about 60% of US carrier operations.
- Taiwan’s defense ministry called the commissioning a “grave threat,” while analysts note the United States still maintains more carriers, nuclear propulsion, and greater operational experience.