Overview
- The People’s Liberation Army said the Sichuan departed Shanghai on November 14 for its initial sea trials.
- The stated goal is to verify propulsion system reliability and stability before any operational use.
- Testing is underway with no timeline announced for commissioning or deployment.
- Coverage relies on PLA announcements and Xinhua photography distributed via Kyodo and carried by Japanese outlets.
- Kyodo-cited reports describe the ship as a roughly 40,000-ton vessel launched in December 2024 that can carry aircraft and amphibious gear, as China recently added the carrier Fujian to establish a three-carrier force.