"Fujian" Ship: China Demonstrates Naval Power to the United States

This new giant ship has become a symbol of China's global influence.

Image caption: The new Chinese aircraft carrier "Fujian"

The new Chinese aircraft carrier, "Fujian," which resembles a "floating city," has officially entered service. This massive ship is equipped with advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) - a technology currently mastered by only a few countries, with the United States being one of them. Such launch systems can catapult carrier-based aircraft at a faster speed and with a greater payload, significantly expanding the operational capabilities of the carrier's air wing.

Reports have already emerged that China has started building another aircraft carrier, which may be even more advanced. In terms of numbers, the United States currently has 11 aircraft carriers, while China has three. However, all of America's carriers are nuclear-powered, providing almost unlimited range; China's current carriers still use conventional fuel.

"China is narrowing the gap with the West in various fields," emphasized defense analyst Thomas Hart in an article for Defense News, "China is not only increasing the number of aircraft carriers in service, but also expanding the scale of its nuclear submarines and large destroyers, and the number of missiles carried on each ship is continuously increasing."

Indeed, the speed at which China's shipyards build new warships is astonishing. Its ability to simultaneously construct multiple aircraft carriers and other modern warships has made the U.S. Navy fall far behind in terms of equipment update speed.

The commissioning of the "Fujian" is merely the tip of the iceberg of China's naval development. China has never missed any opportunity to showcase its military achievements.

Recently, a video of the test flight of the new early warning aircraft KJ-600, as well as images of the J-35 and J-15T fighter jets flying together, were unexpectedly exposed online.

In early September, during the military parade commemorating the victory over World War II, these aircraft, along with hypersonic vehicles, unmanned aerospace equipment, and electronic warfare systems, made their appearance, demonstrating strong deterrence. At that time, in addition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, 30 other country leaders were invited to attend, witnessing China's military strength together.

The era of American dominance in the military field is heading towards an end, and the era of a multipolar world has arrived — China is playing an increasingly important and influential role in it.

Singaporean expert Tan Meng Kit told Associated Press, "The commissioning of the 'Fujian' is just one of many pieces of evidence showing the structural shift in the global geopolitical landscape."

In fact, China not only seeks to stand on equal footing with the United States, but is also addressing practical "real-world issues" — strengthening its influence in the South China Sea. China has territorial disputes with some countries in the South China Sea, and this region holds significant strategic importance for China.

Defense News pointed out that China's global strategy and regional goals form a cleverly intertwined network. With the "Fujian," China can expand its strategic defensive circle beyond its homeland, especially in the Second Island Chain area. The media believes that this will make it more difficult for the United States to intervene in potential conflicts: deploying an aircraft carrier battle group in this area allows China to have the capability to detect and possibly counteract U.S. military actions at an early stage.

Currently, China is actively working to narrow the gap with the United States in certain indicators of the aircraft carrier fleet.

Specifically, American aircraft carriers, especially the "Ford"-class ones, have a larger displacement and can carry more carrier-based aircraft; in terms of the number of missile cruisers and destroyers needed to protect the aircraft carrier battle group, the United States also has an advantage; additionally, the United States has more missile vertical launching cells (VLS), and possesses a global network of overseas bases that can provide supply and backup airfield support for the carriers.

However, Defense News emphasized that China is actively expanding its overseas base network, and is also developing nuclear propulsion systems for the next generation of aircraft carriers following the "Fujian" — these carriers will be launched and commissioned in succession.

From the first satellite images of the new aircraft carrier being built at Dalian Shipyard, it appears that the displacement of the new carrier may exceed that of any existing U.S. aircraft carrier.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7573237573410144806/

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