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New Delhi: China has officially commissioned its latest and most advanced aircraft carrier, Fujian, in a major milestone as the country seeks to close the gap with the United States in naval capabilities. The ceremony, attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week at a naval port in Sanya, Hainan island, was broadcast by state-run CCTV on Friday.
The Fujian is China’s third and most sophisticated aircraft carrier, equipped with electromagnetic catapults capable of launching three different types of aircraft, according to Chinese state media. The system, known as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), enables fighter jets to take off with heavier payloads of weapons and fuel, extending their operational range.
The USS Gerald R Ford of the US Navy remains the only other carrier in the world to feature the EMALS technology. It was certified for flight deck operations using this system in 2022. Chinese state media reported that the decision to incorporate EMALS into the Fujian was personally approved by Xi.
At the commissioning event on Wednesday afternoon, more than 2,000 naval officers and shipbuilders witnessed the ceremony. Xi joined the honor guard in raising the flag before inspecting the ship, including its mess hall, and even pressed the button of the catapult system during a trial demonstration, CCTV reported.
Images from the ceremony showed three catapult launch positions prominently displayed on the deck, alongside carrier-based aircraft such as the J-35, J-15T, and KJ-600. The country’s second carrier, Shandong, was also docked nearby, underscoring the display of naval strength.
Launched in 2022 and undergoing sea trials in 2024, the Fujian’s induction marks a key step in China’s expanding maritime ambitions. The event quickly became a top trending topic on Chinese social media, with the hashtag “My country’s first electromagnetic catapult-equipped aircraft carrier enters service” amassing over 10 million views within an hour.
China’s naval expansion under Xi’s leadership has been rapid, with shipyards producing high-tech vessels at an unmatched pace. Though China’s navy now surpasses the US in number of ships, Washington retains an edge in technology and global deployment capacity. Unlike the US’s nuclear-powered carriers, the Fujian runs on conventional fuel, limiting its range and requiring periodic refueling.
Weighing about 80,000 tons, the Fujian is comparable to the US Navy’s 97,000-ton Nimitz-class carriers. Meanwhile, China is already developing another carrier, currently referred to as the Type 004, expected to be both EMALS-equipped and nuclear-powered, signaling Beijing’s continued march toward a blue-water navy.
