China Announces Fourth Aircraft Carrier

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has officially announced the country's fourth aircraft carrier, stating that queries regarding whether it will be nuclear-powered or conventional will be addressed soon.

Yuan Huazhi, the political commissar of the PLA Navy, disclosed this information during the ongoing two sessions in Beijing while addressing questions about the carrier's propulsion system and its strategic role.

In response to inquiries from the Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Yuan Huazhi, also a National People's Congress (NPC) deputy, remained tight-lipped about whether the fourth carrier would be nuclear-powered. He stated, "We will tell you soon," suggesting that a formal announcement on the matter is imminent.

Yuan emphasized that there are no technological bottlenecks in China's aircraft carrier development, asserting that progress is proceeding smoothly. He clarified that the expansion of China's aircraft carrier fleet is not intended to compete with the United States but to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and rights.

When questioned about the capability to counter U.S. aircraft carriers in the West Pacific, Yuan declared, "Trust us, we can. We don't just deal with aircraft carriers. We also deal with [potential threats] comprehensively."

Analysts were quoted by the Global Times as debating the power source of the new carrier. Some expect it to be nuclear-powered, citing the advantages of unlimited range. However, others argued in favor of a conventionally powered carrier, similar to the third carrier Fujian, citing cost efficiency and faster combat capability generation.

As of now, the PLA Navy operates two conventionally powered aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong. The third carrier, Fujian, is currently undergoing mooring tests and is expected to conduct sea trials later this year.

Observers noted that China's aircraft carrier deployment aligns with the general pattern, where one-third of the time is spent in maintenance, one-third in training, and only one-third in deployment. “Having three aircraft carriers means the PLA Navy can only have one carrier at its disposal at any given time,” an expert noted. With the addition of a fourth carrier, China aims to enhance its strategic capabilities.