Fujian crosses Taiwan Strait. China’s most advanced carrier nears operational status

China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, Fujian, has sailed through the Taiwan Strait en route to the South China Sea to conduct “research trials and training missions,” the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) confirmed on Friday. The deployment underscores Beijing’s ongoing naval modernization efforts and has drawn close scrutiny from regional maritime observers.

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14 september 2025   |   15:27   |   Source: Gazeta Morska / PAP   |   Prepared by: Krzysztof Pawliszak   |   Print

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In an official statement, the PLAN stressed that the carrier’s activities are “routine” and “not directed against any particular target.” Nevertheless, the transit comes amid heightened regional military activity: the U.S. and Japan are holding joint exercises near Okinawa, while Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed the carrier’s presence and stated that its movements are being closely monitored.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported that two guided-missile destroyers accompanied Fujian as it crossed the East China Sea, suggesting the operation was a carefully coordinated trial rather than a simple transit.

A leap in Chinese carrier capability

Fujian represents a major technological step forward for China’s blue-water navy. Unlike its predecessors – Liaoning (commissioned in 2012) and Shandong (2019) – the new carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults, allowing heavier aircraft to launch with full fuel and weapons loads. This capability significantly expands the PLAN’s operational envelope, enabling the deployment of airborne early warning aircraft and fifth-generation stealth fighters from the carrier’s deck.

Analysts estimate Fujian’s defensive and strike reach extends beyond 600 km, giving China a powerful tool for power projection. The timing of this mission is noteworthy: Shandong undertook a similar cruise roughly a month before its own commissioning, suggesting Fujian may soon enter active service.

Regional security implications

Chinese naval activity in the East and South China Seas, combined with regular coast guard patrols near disputed islands, continues to raise concerns in Tokyo, Taipei, and Manila. Regional powers are responding by strengthening their own maritime capabilities and deepening security cooperation under the U.S.-led alliance network.

China now fields over 370 surface ships and submarines, making the PLAN the world’s largest navy by fleet size. With Fujian nearing operational readiness, Beijing will gain enhanced capacity for sustained operations beyond its near seas — a development that could further complicate the strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific and intensify concerns over a potential attempt to forcibly reunify Taiwan.

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