China’s Third Aircraft Carrier is Under Construction

China’s third aircraft carrier will be more advanced than the Liaoning or the Type 001A, and is currently at the construction stage, Chinese media reported.

Several media outlets, including South China Morning Post and the Diplomat, reported that a third aircraft carrier, Type 002, is under construction at the Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard Group, although it is yet to be officially confirmed.

China is likely to build two more aircraft carriers that are expected to achieve technological breakthroughs, the People’s daily reported following the successful trials of night flight takeoff and landing training on its first operational aircraft carrier, Liaoning last week.

Experts believe that the first and second aircraft carriers provide knowledge for future projectiles and nuclear-powered carriers, People’s daily reported Tuesday.

"Our aircraft carrier technology will become more mature as each achieves progress," Li Jle, Beijing-based naval expert was quoted as saying to Global Times in an earlier report. "The third carrier is able to use an electromagnetic aircraft launch system from the conventional ski-jump system; the fourth may witness breakthroughs in power units."

"China can be more flexible with two carriers. In the face of long-term maritime security competition, China will gradually expand its maritime interests to include three or four new carriers, at least, to meet its strategic needs," Kang Jie, an assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, wrote in the Global Times.