The aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hold their first dual-carrier formation exercise in the South China Sea in Autumn 2024. Photo: Xinhua News Agency

Aircraft carriers are important strategic platforms for China as a major power to defend its national sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and development interests while contributing to peace and stability to the region and the world. In 2024, all three aircraft carriers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy made tremendous achievements, as they took confident strides toward blue waters.

One of the biggest highlights of China's aircraft carrier program in 2024 is the start of the sea trials phase for the PLA Navy's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian.

The Fujian set out from Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard for maiden sea trials on May 1, and returned to the shipyard on May 8. During the eight-day sea trials, the Fujian tested its propulsion and electrical systems and other equipment, and achieved the expected results, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time.

The Fujian was launched on June 17, 2022. It is China's first domestically-made carrier that uses catapults. With a full-load displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices.

Since its maiden voyage, the carrier has reportedly conducted a total of five sea trials as of December. Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, on December 13 responded at a press conference to a media query about whether the Fujian had returned to port after its latest sea trial, following the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration's announcement of traffic controls for large vessels entering the Yangtze River estuary in early December. 

Wu said that the trials of the Fujian aircraft carrier are a standard part of its construction process and subsequent trials will be conducted as construction advances.

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times on Monday that the frequency and intensity of the sea trials of the Fujian are considered high, and more sea trials are expected to come in the future, so as to test the new technologies used on the carrier and make sure it becomes combat-ready as soon as possible.

For future sea trials, Song said he expects to see tests such as aircraft takeoff and landing as well as integration with other vessels.

Another highlight of China's aircraft carrier program in 2024 is the first-ever exercise of the long-anticipated dual-carrier group.

The formations of Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong carried out a dual aircraft carrier formation exercise for the first time in the South China Sea, Xinhua quoted the PLA Navy as saying on October 31.

Commissioned in September 2012, the Liaoning is China's first aircraft carrier, and the Shandong, the second aircraft carrier, the first one built domestically, was commissioned in December 2019.

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times that a dual-carrier group is not just an addition of two aircraft carrier groups, as it can carry out more diverse and complicated missions.

The two carriers can share some of their defense and reconnaissance forces, while each carrier can focus on more specific roles. For example, one carrier can focus on land attack, while the other focuses on air defense and air superiority, Wang said.

The first dual-carrier exercise is just a beginning, and more will follow, Wang said.

Another important aspect is the warplanes aircraft carriers can carry. At the Airshow China 2024, held in November in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, China unveiled three new types of carrier-borne fixed-wing aircraft: the J-15T fighter jet, which has been upgraded and made compatible with catapults, the J-15D electronic warfare aircraft and the J-35 stealth fighter jet.

The J-15T, which is capable of catapult launches and reverse command, has demonstrated its preliminary readiness for takeoff and landing operations on the Fujian aircraft carrier, Xinhua quoted military expert Cao Weidong as saying. "Once commissioned, the Fujian will rapidly attain combat capability through coordinated operations with the J-15T," Cao added.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that the J-15T has also been upgraded with a radar with longer detection distance. This will also allow the J-15T to fire air-to-air missiles with longer range.

On the J-15D, Zhang said that it is a dedicated electronic warfare aircraft for aircraft carriers and a vital component in an aircraft carrier's air wing. He noted that the J-15D has powerful electronic disruption and suppression capabilities, and such capabilities are particularly important in modern information-driven naval warfare.

The star of Airshow China 2024, the J-35A stealth fighter jet, has been commissioned into the PLA Air Force, but at the exhibition hall, only a model of the J-35 carrier-based fighter jet was displayed.

Sun Cong, the chief designer of the J-15, confirmed at a press conference at Airshow China 2024 that in addition to the J-15, the J-35 will also become carrier-borne, China Central Television reported on November 12.

Song, the military expert, said that the J-35 will likely operate from not only the Fujian, but also the Liaoning and the Shandong. It will likely form a combination with the J-15, similar to the combination of the US' F-35 and F/A-18E/F.

"The biggest advantage of the J-35 is its stealth capability. It has strong air-to-surface and air-to-air combat capabilities, and the combination [with the J-15] can yield maximum efficiency," Song said.

Sovereignty protectors

Over the past year, the PLA Navy's aircraft carriers have conducted multiple exercises, including not only the dual-carrier formation exercise in the South China Sea, but also the "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise around the island of Taiwan, firmly defending China's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests.

During the "Joint Sword-2024B" drills on October 14, the PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed the Liaoning aircraft carrier group to conduct exercises, along with its army, navy, air force and rocket force troops, on vessel-aircraft collaboration, joint air control, and strikes on sea and land targets in the waters and airspace to the east of Taiwan, Li Xi, a spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, announced at the time, Xinhua reported.

The drills aim to test the joint combat capabilities of multiple services in integrated operations inside and outside the island chain, Li said. He said earlier that the drills are a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" elements, and are legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity.

Zhang Chi, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, told the Global Times at the time that the Liaoning controlled a key chokepoint and formed a solid maritime barrier. The carrier formed a strategic situation that blocked external interference and effectively exerted pressure on "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces.

Noting that the PLA Navy now has three aircraft carriers, Song said that the PLA Navy's capabilities and confidence in safeguarding national sovereignty and security are growing. 

Aside from the Taiwan question, Song said that aircraft carriers are destined to sail to far seas. They provide confidence for China to safeguard its development interests, which is a key consideration for China in building a blue water, strategic navy, he said.