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China’s First Own Aircraft Carrier is Being Tested at Sea. China has sent its first aircraft carrier, which has been built entirely in its own country, to sea for testing. In the past year, weapons and other systems have been installed on the ship, reported by 99 News.
The ship, which has no name yet, has left its yard in the port city of Dalian. The maritime authorities have ordered shipping traffic to avoid a part of the sea southeast of Dalian in the coming week.
State press agency Xinhua reports that the ship will check the reliability and stability of the ship and its systems. It is probably only taken into active service in 2020. China would eventually want to build six aircraft carriers, something that according to military experts would take decades.
Nuclear drive
Beijing already has an aircraft carrier in service: the Liaoning. The hull comes from Ukraine and has been built up in China. The Liaoning and the new aircraft carrier both run on oil. According to various media, China also wants to manufacture an aircraft carrier with nuclear propulsion. Such a vessel can stay at sea longer.
Aircraft carriers are a very intimidating and effective weapon. China is involved in various conflicts with neighbouring countries over territorial waters and islands in the South China Sea. The US, which has ten aircraft carriers in active service and a number under construction, also has trouble with Chinese claims.
