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China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujianentered into service on Wednesday at a grand ceremony held in Sanya, Hainan, according to state media reports.
The Fujian is China’s most advanced warship and its first aircraft carrier to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults.
Its inauguration makes China only the second country, after the United States, to operate a carrier with this aircraft launch technology.
President Xi Jinping oversaw the ceremony and boarded the Fujian afterwards to hear briefings on aircraft carrier combat capacities and the usage of the electromagnetic catapults, according to Xinhua.
The ceremony was presided over by General Zhang Shengmin, who was recently promoted to deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission. Other senior officials, including Xi’s chief of staff Cai Qi and Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing, also attended the ceremony, according to Xinhua.
