China has a new aircraft carrier with a system used only by the US

China has officially commissioned its third and most technologically advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian. The vessel is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult - an advanced system that has so far only been used by the US, reports Le Monde newspaper.

The move is further evidence of China's ambitions to become a military superpower. President Xi Jinping personally presided over the ceremony at the base in the South China Sea. The ship, named after the province opposite Taiwan, has undergone three years of testing and training since 2022.

State television CCTV devoted extensive coverage to the event, highlighting its importance for both China's domestic political legitimacy and international image.

Xi Jinping met the crew, inspected the equipment on board and symbolically took the captain's seat. The Fujian represents a key milestone in the modernisation of the Chinese military.

(mja)