China’s Advanced Aircraft Carrier CNS Fujian Conducts Sea Trials
China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the CNS Fujian, was spotted on September 11, 2025, sailing toward the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. The People’s Liberation Army Navy confirmed that the Fujian departed for a “scientific research, test and training mission” in the South China Sea, a region marked by significant maritime trade and contested territories involving several neighboring nations.
The Fujian is notable for being the largest naval vessel ever constructed by an Asian nation, weighing in at 80,000 tons. It is equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults, akin to those found on the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, enabling it to launch heavier jets more efficiently than its predecessors, the CNS Liaoning and the CNS Shandong, which utilize ski-jump flight decks.
Prior to this latest mission, the Fujian had completed eight sea trials since its launch in June 2022. Although China has not officially announced a commissioning date, the U.S. Pentagon has estimated that the carrier is expected to become operational in the first half of 2025.
Significance of the Mission
An image captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellites showed the Fujian navigating southward in the East China Sea, accompanied by two escort vessels. An open-source intelligence analyst reported that the Chinese naval group was located approximately 144 miles north of Taiwan. Japan’s Defense Ministry corroborated this information, noting the vessels were about 124 miles northwest of Uotsuri, the main islet in the Senkaku Islands, which are claimed by China as the Diaoyu Islands. This marked the first sighting of the Fujian by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Photographic evidence provided by the Japanese Defense Ministry did not show any aircraft or helicopters on the Fujian’s flight deck, suggesting that the vessel may be in the testing phase of its operational capabilities.
Official Statements and Future Prospects
Senior Captain Leng Guowei, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army Navy, referred to the mission as a routine part of the carrier’s construction process, emphasizing that it is designed to facilitate further sea trials. The Fujian was observed departing from Shanghai, where it was built and launched. It remains unclear how long the carrier will operate in the South China Sea during this mission.
The Taiwan Strait, a crucial waterway separating China from Taiwan—which China claims as part of its territory—often sees military activity from the U.S. and its allies, who maintain that such operations are intended to uphold regional stability. Tensions in the South China Sea persist due to overlapping territorial claims among China and its neighbors, including the Philippines, which frequently leads to confrontations at sea.
The Pentagon’s 2024 report on Chinese military power highlighted the Fujian’s capabilities, noting its design allows for the operation of additional fighter and early-warning aircraft, thus enhancing the effectiveness of China’s naval air operations. According to the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Fujian’s operational status is anticipated to significantly surpass that of the Shandong and Liaoning once it is fully commissioned.
As the situation evolves, the timing of the official commissioning announcement for the Fujian remains uncertain, along with any plans for additional aircraft carriers to further expand China’s naval fleet.
