China Commissions Third Aircraft Carrier, Marking Major Step in Naval Expansion

China has officially commissioned its newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, after completing extensive sea trials, state media reported on Friday. The move marks a significant milestone in Beijing’s ambitious military modernization plan aimed at strengthening its global maritime power.

According to the official Xinhua news agency, President Xi Jinping presided over the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday at a naval base on Hainan Island. The Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first to be entirely designed and built domestically.

Analysts say the new vessel symbolizes China’s growing ability to project military power beyond its coastal waters. Greg Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), described carriers as “central to China’s vision of becoming a great power with a blue-water navy.”

With this addition, China edges closer to narrowing the gap with the United States Navy, which operates 11 carriers and maintains an extensive global network of bases. Beijing’s goal, experts say, is to dominate the waters within the First Island Chain — encompassing the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan — while extending influence into the Second Island Chain, where key U.S. bases, including Guam, are located.

The Fujian introduces major technological advancements over its predecessors, the Liaoning and Shandong. It employs an electromagnetic catapult launch system similar to that used on the U.S. Navy’s latest Ford-class carriers. This system enables smoother, faster aircraft launches and allows heavier planes, such as the KJ-600 early warning aircraft, to take off fully fueled. During trials, China’s advanced J-35 stealth fighter and J-15T heavy fighter successfully launched from the new carrier, confirming its full-deck operational capability.

Military analyst Brian Hart, deputy director of CSIS’s China Power Project, said the Fujian “marks a leap forward for China in terms of carrier capability.” He noted that the ship’s ability to deploy its own reconnaissance aircraft gives it a major edge in operating far from land-based support.

Despite these advances, China’s navy still trails the U.S. in several critical areas. Its carriers are conventionally powered, limiting their range compared to America’s nuclear-powered fleet. China also lacks the overseas base network needed to sustain global operations, though it has been steadily working to expand its logistical reach and is reportedly developing a nuclear-powered carrier.

The news of the Fujian’s commissioning has raised concern among neighboring countries. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said China’s “rapid and opaque military expansion” underscores the need for vigilance and pledged that Tokyo would respond “calmly but decisively” to any regional threats.

China’s military buildup comes amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly over Taiwan. Analysts warn that the Fujian could play a key role in extending China’s strategic reach in any future confrontation.

Still, some experts caution that advanced hardware does not necessarily translate into combat readiness. Singapore-based analyst Tang Meng Kit said China’s modernization “serves broader goals — deterring major powers, expanding global influence, and reinforcing domestic legitimacy.”

With the commissioning of the Fujian, Beijing signals its intent to be a dominant maritime power — capable of operating well beyond its own shores.