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China presented this Friday its third aircraft carrier, the largest and most modern in the fleet and which marks a major milestone in the military progress of the Asian giant.
His presentation coincides with a moment of tension between China and the United States by Taiwan statutethe island of 24 million inhabitants governed autonomously and democratically, but that Beijing considers as part of its territory.
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The new aircraft carrierfujian”, named after one of the Chinese provinces as tradition says, it presents important technological improvements compared to its predecessors.
The new platform is “the first catapult aircraft carrier completely designed and built by China,” state television CCTV said.
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The ship was launched into the sea in a ceremony attended by a regiment of white-clad sailors who applauded under colorful clouds of steam released over the ship to celebrate its debut.
This presentation marks a major milestone in the military career of China.
The “Fujian” has significantly more advanced technology than its two predecessors, including an electromagnetic propulsion system, which allows planes to be loaded with more fuel reserves and weapons.
It will now undergo various sea trials and will then be returned to the naval forces. China It has not specified when it will enter service, but it will not be immediately and the process could take years.
“A turning point”
The launch ceremony coincides with the heightening of geopolitical tensions with the United States over the Asia-Pacific region and with numerous territorial disputes with other countries over the South China Sea.
Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe warned the United States last week that his country would fight “at any cost and to the end” to prevent Taiwan from declaring its independence.
Collin Koh, a researcher at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, said the ship may mark a “turning point” for the Chinese navy.
“The Chinese navy is likely to use its aircraft carriers primarily for deterrence in peacetime and for high-intensity missions in wartime,” the expert stated.
At the level of internal politics, “an aircraft carrier also symbolizes the strength of a country and feeds the discourse of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)”he added.
However, it may be years before the “Fujian” is fully operational.
The first such ship of the Chinese navy, the “Liaoning”, entered service in 2012 and served mainly as a training platform.
The accumulated knowledge was later used for the “Shandong”, the first aircraft carrier built entirely by China and commissioned at the end of 2019.
However, unlike US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the Chinese ship uses conventional technology.
According to Janes, the reference agency for military information, the United States is the world leader in the fleet of aircraft carriers with 11, ahead of China and the United Kingdom with two fully operational.
Russia, France, Italy, India and Thailand follow, with an aircraft carrier.
Source: Elcomercio
I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.
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