"China's Next-Gen Aircraft Carrier Approaches Sea Trials, Fuels Speculation"

China's new aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is nearing completion and has been showcased in recent state-run CCTV footage, revealing its catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system. The Fujian, also known as the Type 003, is the first Chinese carrier to use catapults instead of a ski jump for aircraft launch. The carrier has undergone mooring tests and is expected to begin sea trials soon, with the potential to join the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) by 2025. This development marks China's advancement in naval capabilities, as it joins the ranks of the few nations with CATOBAR carriers, and reflects its broader ambitions to expand its naval power.