Why Isn’t China Touting Its New Aircraft Carrier?
Udumbara
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China’s Fujian aircraft carrier officially entered service on Nov. 5. Still, state media Xinhua News Agency didn’t report it until two days later, and Beijing’s usual propaganda blitz was nowhere to be found. The commissioning ceremony was noticeably scaled back, and the Chinese Ministry of Defense didn’t even mention it at their press briefing.
A Low-Key Handover for the Fujian
On Nov. 7, Xinhua reported that the Fujian was handed over on Nov. 5 at a naval port in China’s southernmost Hainan Province, with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping in attendance. But the fanfare was unexpectedly muted.First, the ceremony was notably downsized.
When Xi commissioned the Shandong carrier in Hainan in 2019—Beijing’s first domestically built carrier—Chinese media reported that around 5,000 navy personnel and shipyard workers attended the ceremony. Still, this time, the Fujian’s ceremony drew just over 2,000 attendees.
Second, far fewer senior officials showed up.
In 2019, Xi was joined by top CCP figures, including Ding Xuexiang, then-director of the General Office of the CCP Central Committee, then-Vice Premier Liu He, and Vice Premier He Lifeng. The military brass included Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia, then-Joint Staff Chief Li Zuocheng, then-Navy Commander Shen Jinlong, and Lei Fanpei, then-head of China Shipbuilding Group.
This time, aside from Xi, only Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi and Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing were present on the civilian side. The military delegation was even smaller: only newly promoted Vice Chairman Zhang Shengmin was mentioned in Chinese state media reports. Navy Commander Hu Zhongming and Southern Theater Commander Wu Yanan were notably absent.
Third, state media downplayed the event.
When the Shandong was commissioned, propaganda coverage was immediate and exuberant. But the Fujian’s commissioning was reported two days late—and with minimal praise. The only technical boast was that its electromagnetic catapult system is “world-class”—this reveals something significant.
The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford is currently the only other active carrier with electromagnetic catapults. By calling Fujian “world-class” rather than claiming superiority, Beijing is signaling that it hasn’t matched the Ford. That likely explains the subdued tone.
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China’s Defense Ministry Stays Mum
China’s Defense Ministry on Nov. 7 held its regular press conference, but the official transcript didn’t mention the Fujian’s commissioning two days earlier.On Oct. 30, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun during an ASEAN defense ministers’ meeting in Malaysia. China’s statement said Dong emphasized “implementing leader-level agreements,” boosting “communication to build trust and reduce doubts,” and promoting “friendly interactions between frontline troops” to foster “peaceful coexistence.” That’s a far cry from the usual “wolf warrior” rhetoric from the CCP’s military.
What’s Holding the Fujian Back?
China’s first two carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, were based on old Soviet designs and lacked serious strike capabilities. The Fujian marks a shift, copying U.S.-style carriers with a flat, full-length deck and electromagnetic catapults to boost its combat power. But it seems like China rushed Fujian’s construction, and the aircraft carrier may have some glaring weaknesses.Untested Electromagnetic Catapults
The Fujian was initially designed for steam catapults, but after the U.S. Navy adopted electromagnetic systems on the Ford, Beijing abruptly switched plans. Xinhua reported on Nov. 7 that Xi personally ordered the change. This meant redesigning the ship mid-construction—designing, building, and testing simultaneously. That’s a very risky move.The Fujian’s electromagnetic catapults are new and unproven. On Sept. 22, Xinhua reported that three fighter jets completed takeoffs and landings on the Fujian, declaring “initial full-deck operational capability” and celebrating a “generational leap” from “near-sea defense” to “far-sea operations.” But on Nov. 7, none of those bold claims were repeated. The catapults were tested for less than two months, which is insufficient to determine their reliability.
By comparison, the U.S. Ford entered service in July 2017, conducted its first catapult-assisted takeoff days later, and continued testing for years, still falling short of being able to operate 4,166 launches between operational mission failures. The United States only declared that the Ford had “initial operational capability” in September 2022.
Outdated Power System
The U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers can supply endless electricity for electromagnetic catapults. In contrast, the Fujian, powered by conventional steam turbines, raises doubts about its ability to keep up with power demands. China continues to use steam turbines because it cannot domestically produce gas turbines, and the United States and its allies restrict their sales.Doubts About the Fujian
The Fujian can supposedly carry J-15T fighters, J-35 stealth fighters, KJ-600 early-warning aircraft, and likely J-15D electronic warfare planes—basically mimicking the U.S. Navy’s setup. Chinese state-run mouthpiece China News claims the J-15T can take off “fully fueled and armed” for long-range, high-volume attacks.Older J-15s could only carry four air-to-air missiles. With catapults, the J-15T should handle more, giving it real strike power. But the anti-ship missiles J-15s might carry—such as the YJ-62, YJ-83, or YJ-91—are Soviet-era knockoffs, slow and short-ranged, with no edge in naval combat. Larger missiles like the YJ-12 or YJ-21 might be too heavy for the J-15 to carry, or it could manage just one, risking takeoff issues and losing dogfight capability. For ground attacks, the J-15 can use the KD-88 missile, a variant of the YJ-83, but it’s still outdated. The Fujian’s strike power won’t improve much anytime soon.
The J-35, a stealth fighter, faces similar issues. It might carry the same missiles as the J-15T but in smaller numbers. Whether those missiles fit in its internal weapons bay—or if it’s stuck with air-to-air missiles only—is unclear, meaning it may not have stealth strike capability yet.
A Ripple Effect in the Region
Although its combat strength capabilities are questionable, the Fujian carrier is already raising the stakes for neighboring countries. In addition, China has begun construction of a fourth carrier, heightening geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.For instance, India, with two carriers in service, is planning a third. Japan’s two Izumo-class helicopter carriers are now modified to handle F-35B jets. Indonesia is eyeing a retired Italian carrier, while South Korea is exploring the possibility of building its own aircraft carriers.
It appears that China’s aircraft carriers—even if the regime is still playing catch-up and copying others—have kicked off a naval arms race in the Indo-Pacific.
