China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the CNS Fujian, was spotted on September 11, 2025, navigating toward the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. This significant development was confirmed by the People’s Liberation Army Navy, which stated that the Fujian has embarked on a “scientific research, test and training mission” in the South China Sea, a critical region for global maritime trade, fraught with territorial disputes involving multiple nations.
The CNS Fujian is notable for being the largest naval vessel ever constructed by an Asian nation, weighing in at an impressive 80,000 tons. It features advanced technology, including electromagnetic catapults for launching aircraft, akin to those used on the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class carriers. This design positions the Fujian as more sophisticated than its predecessors, the CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong, which utilize ski-jump flight decks.
Strategic Significance of the Fujian’s Mission
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Fujian has completed eight sea trials since its launch in June 2022. While no official commissioning date has been announced, the Pentagon anticipates that the carrier will be operational in the first half of 2025. The recent sightings of the Fujian, alongside two escort vessels, suggest that it is engaged in vital operational readiness exercises in a geopolitically sensitive area.
An image captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellites displayed the Fujian in the East China Sea, approximately 144 miles north of Taiwan. The presence of the Chinese navy was corroborated by Japan’s Defense Ministry, which reported that the vessels were located around 124 miles northwest of the Senkaku Islands, a territory Japan administers but which China claims as the Diaoyu Islands. This marked the first time Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force identified the Fujian.
The escorting ships identified were the destroyers CNS Hangzhou and CNS Jinan. Notably, photographs released by Japan’s Defense Ministry showed the flight deck of the Fujian devoid of aircraft or helicopters, indicating that the current mission may focus on testing and evaluation rather than active deployment.
Continued Tensions in the Region
Senior Captain Leng Guowei, the spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army Navy, emphasized that the mission is a routine part of the construction process for the Fujian, which is poised to enhance China’s naval capabilities significantly. The Taiwan Strait serves as a strategic passage separating China from Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as its own territory.
The surrounding waters are often the site of military presence from the U.S. and allied nations, who navigate through the strait to maintain what they describe as the status quo. The situation in the South China Sea remains complex, with overlapping territorial claims involving China and neighboring countries, including the Philippines. These disputes frequently lead to confrontations between Chinese forces and other claimants.
In remarks regarding the Fujian’s capabilities, the Pentagon’s report on Chinese military power highlighted that the vessel’s design allows for the launch of additional fighter aircraft and early-warning aircraft, thus enhancing the operational reach of China’s carrier-based strike capabilities.
Experts from the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that the Fujian is expected to enter service in 2025, following its initial sea trials which commenced in May 2024. Once operational, it will represent a substantial advancement over China’s existing carriers, the Shandong and Liaoning.
As the situation develops, global observers await further announcements regarding the Fujian’s commissioning and the potential expansion of China’s aircraft carrier fleet. The implications of these advancements are significant, not only for regional security but also for the balance of power in maritime operations in the Asia-Pacific region.
