China's Fujian aircraft carrier commissioning "not far off": spokesperson

BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier, which has been successfully conducting tests and training in accordance with the plan, is "not far off," a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.

Zhang Xiaogang, the spokesperson, made the remarks in response to a media inquiry at a regular press conference.

He noted that carrier-based aircraft J-15T, J-35 and KongJing-600 have successfully completed catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landing training aboard the Fujian aircraft carrier.

The success of the training demonstrates that the Fujian has obtained electromagnetic catapult launch and recovery capabilities, paving the way for multiple types of carrier-based aircraft to be integrated into the carrier formation, and marking a milestone in the development of China's aircraft carriers, according to Zhang.

The Fujian, China's third aircraft carrier with hull number 18, was launched in June 2022 and named after Fujian Province. Unlike the ski-jump decks of China's first two carriers -- the Liaoning and the Shandong -- the Fujian features a flat flight deck, with a full-load displacement exceeding 80,000 tonnes.