• China's latest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has officially entered service.
• This vessel features advanced electromagnetic catapults, allowing for heavier payload launches.
• The commissioning ceremony was attended by President Xi Jinping, reflecting China's military expansion ambitions.

China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, officially entered service during a ceremony in Sanya, Hainan, overseen by President Xi Jinping, according to SCMP. The Fujian is the first aircraft carrier designed and built in China and is equipped with electromagnetic catapults, marking a significant step forward in naval technology and capabilities.

The Fujian's advanced catapult system allows for faster launches of heavier aircraft compared to the traditional ski-jump systems used on its predecessors, the Liaoning and Shandong, which were built based on Russian designs. This leap in technology positions China as the second nation, after the United States, to operate such a system, according to BBC and Reuters.

Experts anticipate that the Fujian will enhance the People's Liberation Army Navy's capability to project power well beyond its coastal waters, which includes areas traditionally contested like the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, according to analyses from Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

During the commissioning, Xi Jinpeng stated the need for a modernized military, aiming for significant advancements by 2035, with the Fujian as a vital asset in this vision, reflecting on China's goals to rival U.S. naval power by 2050, as noted by various sources including SCMP and Reuters.

The Fujian, possessing a displacement of over 80,000 tons, is designed to carry multiple aircraft types, including the new J-35 stealth fighter and the KJ-600 early warning aircraft, thereby expanding its operational range beyond that of earlier carriers. As such, it not only reinforces the naval strike capabilities but also enhances reconnaissance abilities, allowing the force to operate autonomously from land-based support, as elaborated by Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

Despite the excitement surrounding its launch, security analysts express that challenges remain before the Fujian can reach its full combat readiness. Observers predict it may take at least another year for the carrier to become fully operational, given the complexities of integrating it with existing naval operations, as indicated by Reuters and BBC.