Following the news that China has launched its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian;

Sourabh Banik, Defense Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“The Fujian is a testament of Beijing’s continued advancements in defense capabilities and indicates its intention to contest the status quo in terms of maritime dominance worldwide. The Fujian is set to be China’s third and most technologically superior aircraft carrier to date, after Liaoning (imported from Russia) and Shandong (indigenously built), which the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will be using to project its power globally.

“Apart from asserting its dominance among its competitors in the Asia-Pacific region, Beijing will also look to counter the US Navy’s influence in the region. This is evident from its growing expenditure in development and procurement of sophisticated naval platforms over the past few years; a trend which is anticipated to continue over the next 10 years as well.

“China is expected to cumulatively spend $36.6 billion on acquiring various categories of surface warships between 2022 and 2032, and the aircraft carrier segment will account for 34.4% of that spending, according to GlobalData’s report*. After the commissioning of Fujian, Beijing is likely to embark on the construction of a fourth aircraft carrier within this decade, which will ensure a sustained investment in the segment beyond 2032 and will make the PLAN a formidable force to reckon with for decades to come.”

*Naval Vessels and Surface Combatants Market Size and Trend Analysis including Segments (Frigate, Aircraft Carrier, Destroyer, Corvette, and Others), Key Programs, Competitive Landscape and Forecast, 2022-2032