CHINA-PLA: CHINA LAUNCHES ITS THIRD AIRCRAFT CARRIER
China launched its third and most advanced aircraft carrier on June 10. Named 'Fujian' after
the coastal province opposite Taiwan, it had been under construction at Shanghai’s Jiangnan
shipyard since 2018. It is expected to enter service late next year or in 2024. The Fujian was
set to launch on June 3, according to analysts and media reports, but the date slipped because
of Shanghai’s Covid-19 outbreak and two-month lockdown. “Resumption of work after
pandemic control measures was slower than expected, and there was a lack of workers,” said a
Chinese military scholar, who asked not to be
named because he was not authorised to speak to the media about the topic. “The equipment
for further outfitting after the launch was not fully in place either.” The Fujian is the first
Chinese carrier to be completely designed and manufactured domestically. The People’s
Liberation Army Navy aims to have six carriers by 2035.
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