17 June 2022
23001
2022-06-17 14:57
China on Friday launched its third aircraft carrier, the first such ship to be both designed and built entirely within the country.
State media reports said the 003 new-generation aircraft carrier christened Fujian left its dry-dock at a shipyard in Shanghai in the morning and tied up at a nearby pier.
State broadcaster CCTV showed assembled Navy personnel standing beneath the massive ship as water jets sprayed over its deck and multi-colored streamers flew and colorful smoke was released.
The launch comes as China seeks to extend the range and power of its navy.
Equipped with the latest weaponry and aircraft-launch technology, the ship's capabilities are thought to rival those of Western carriers, as Beijing seeks to turn its navy, already the world's largest, into a multi-carrier force.