China's first domestic aircraft carrier embarks
China has launched its first aircraft carrier that was made and designed domestically last Wednesday; April 26.
According to CNBC, China's first domestically built aircraft carrier has been unveiled during the latest display of Beijing's growing naval power. The vessel was launched into open water from a dockyard in the port of Dalian, northeastern Liaoning province, on Wednesday morning.
The said release of China's first homegrown aircraft carrier took place three days after the 68th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy which was held on Sunday. It was also noted that against the backdrop of a rising China, the vessel was released to project its power over the regional naval security outline.
Furthermore, CNN noted that aircraft carrier that was built by China is yet to be named. It was also mentioned that the new vessel still has gaps behind its US counterparts when it comes to technology. But then, the high-ranking fellow at Sydney's Lowy Institute Sam Roggeveen told in an interview with the news outlet that it is just a "stepping stone" to China's next generation of aircraft carriers.
"It's probably been designed to just get China in the aircraft carrier game, and while this design was just an incremental advance (on the country's first carrier), with the next carrier, which could already be under construction, it will be much closer to a US carrier," Roggeveen stated during the interview.
It was also noticed that the news about the launch originates as pressure mount over North Korea, which was China's unruly neighbor and collaborator. Nevertheless, the carrier isn't anticipated to enter active service until 2020.
The same news outlet also stated in its article that a ship is launched when it is first placed into the water, but then the aircraft carrier still needs significant work to complete it. Once it was active, the new carrier will likely be formally appointed in a distinct ceremony.
For reference, the construction of China's first aircraft carrier has started November 2013The construction took just over three years later the main exterior has been finished, as well as a number of the vessel's main systems that included the power supply.
