New Delhi: China has reportedly begun construction of its fourth aircraft carrier at the Dalian shipyard in Liaoning province, marking another milestone in its fast-paced naval modernisation programme.
Satellite images posted by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) show the early stages of hull formation, indicating that work is actively underway despite the third carrier, Fujian, still awaiting official commissioning.
China’s existing carrier fleet comprises two operational vessels—the Liaoning and the Shandong, followed by the Fujian, which is undergoing advanced testing.
Liaoning (Type 001): A refitted Soviet-era vessel inducted in 2012.
Shandong (Type 002): The first indigenously built carrier, commissioned in 2019.
Fujian (Type 003): China’s most technologically advanced conventionally powered carrier, equipped with Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) similar to that of the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Chinese military spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang recently confirmed successful catapult-assisted take-off and arrested landing trials of next-generation naval aircraft, including the J-15T, stealth fighter J-35, and KongJing-600 AEW aircraft aboard the Fujian. This marks China’s first verified demonstration of fully integrated EMALS operations.
Reports indicate that the forthcoming fourth carrier could depart from China’s conventional propulsion model by adopting nuclear propulsion, a leap that would greatly enhance the vessel’s endurance, global reach, and onboard power generation for advanced systems such as directed-energy weapons, radars, and electromagnetic launchers. If confirmed, this would signify China’s entry into the elite group of nations operating nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, aligning its capabilities closer to those of the US Navy’s Nimitz and Ford-class carriers.
Military analysts assess that China’s accelerating carrier build-up underscores its ambition to transform the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) into a blue-water force capable of sustained operations across the Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean, and beyond.
The development also comes amid renewed trade and maritime friction with the United States, further reinforcing China’s determination to assert naval dominance in contested maritime territories, including the South China Sea and Western Pacific.
The fourth aircraft carrier is expected to integrate an evolved Type 004 design, blending EMALS with nuclear propulsion while hosting both manned and unmanned aerial combat platforms. Experts suggest the vessel may serve as a flagship for carrier strike group operations far from Chinese shores, supporting Beijing’s strategic goals under its Global Ocean Development Initiative.
China’s forthcoming carrier represents not only another engineering achievement but also a strategic signal of its expanding maritime power. As tensions escalate with Washington over tariffs, technology, and sea-lane security, the pace of carrier construction highlights Beijing’s long-term objective—to achieve a balanced naval force structure capable of competing with US naval presence across multiple theatres.
