China's Fujian Carrier Sails Taiwan Strait for Sea Trials

China's most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, recently sailed through the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea as part of routine research trials and training missions during its sea trials phase. This third carrier, unveiled in 2022 and domestically designed, is larger and more advanced than China's previous carriers and is equipped with electromagnetic catapults, making it the world's second carrier with this technology after the USS Gerald R. Ford. The Fujian's transit has been closely monitored by Japanese and Taiwanese forces, with Japan dispatching patrol aircraft and tracking the carrier alongside two missile destroyers. China insists the exercises are routine and not aimed at any specific target, while Taiwan and many international observers view the Taiwan Strait as an international waterway amid ongoing regional tensions. Speculation is growing that the Fujian may officially enter service soon, potentially coinciding with significant Chinese historical anniversaries such as September 18 or October 1. The carrier is expected to be based at the Hainan Sanya Naval Base once formally commissioned.