China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, crossed the Taiwan Strait on September 12, 2025, in what the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) described as part of scheduled sea trials. While Beijing downplayed the move as routine testing, regional observers viewed the transit as a deliberate demonstration of growing Chinese naval power. Taiwan’s defense ministry confirmed it monitored the carrier, and Japan reported two missile destroyers escorted the vessel during its passage.
Measuring roughly 316 meters and displacing up to 85,000 tons, Fujian is China’s first domestically designed carrier with electromagnetic catapults (EMALS), a capability that allows it to launch heavier fighters and fixed-wing early warning aircraft. Its three catapult lanes, advanced arresting gear, and twin large elevators enable rapid deck operations. The ship’s slimmer island and upgraded AESA radars, paired with HQ-10 surface-to-air missiles and H/PJ-11 close-in weapon systems, point to a design optimized for sustained, high-tempo flight operations rather than experimental trials.
Future air wings are expected to include catapult-launched J-15T fighters, the stealthy J-35, and KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft, extending the PLAN’s radar coverage and strike coordination over much greater distances. By passing through the Taiwan Strait with an escort, Fujian also began rehearsing the strike group operations that will eventually become routine once the carrier is fully commissioned.
The move adds to a pattern of increased Chinese military activity near Taiwan, including median-line crossings, blockade exercises, and drone flights. For the United States, Japan, and regional allies, Fujian represents a significant shift — one that will require new approaches to maritime surveillance, missile deployment, and crisis planning.
The introduction of a third carrier allows China to sustain a rotational cycle similar to other major navies, keeping one carrier deployed while another trains and a third undergoes maintenance. This capacity will enable the PLAN to project power from the East China Sea to the Indian Ocean on a near-continuous basis.
More than a technical milestone, Fujian’s first strait transit signals Beijing’s intent to close the gap with established carrier navies and reshape the security environment in the Western Pacific.
