<\/p>\n
In recent months, the Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning<\/a> and Shandong<\/a> conducted joint exercises in waters near Japan, pushing beyond the so-called “First Island Chain” and encroaching into the “Second Chain,” which includes the strategic \u00a0Guam\u00a0\u2014a critical U.S. military stronghold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Nerves<\/strong> – The deployment of these two aircraft carriers in the \u00a0Western Pacific\u00a0 has not only sparked concerns in Japan<\/a>, but it also showcases the growing scope<\/a> of the Chinese navy. Beijing is training its units to operate autonomously, far from mainland shores, during both peacetime and wartime.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The capacity to execute air operations from carriers in open seas allows China to conduct up to 90 aircraft landings and takeoffs per day<\/a>. This operational experience, albeit still in its early stages, indicates a future intention to employ these assets as tools of \u00a0force projection\u00a0 well beyond their immediate areas of influence.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Aircraft Carriers as Symbols<\/strong> – Beyond their military functions, Chinese aircraft carriers act as a \u00a0status symbol\u00a0 of international power. For Xi Jinping’s administration, the possession and operational deployment of these vessels symbolize a departure from regional limitations, portraying China as a \u00a0global power\u00a0.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although China’s current fleet, consisting of the Liaoning, Shandong, and the yet-to-be-activated \u00a0Fujian\u00a0, operates with conventional propulsion and lags technologically behind the \u00a0U.S. Navy\u00a0\u2019s eleven nuclear carriers, Chinese state media promote these exercises as an unmistakable signal of their maritime resurgence.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking Ahead<\/strong> – Additionally, if the fourth carrier currently under construction employs nuclear propulsion and \u00a0electromagnetic catapults\u00a0, as indicated, it will mark a significant technological leap. Furthermore, the recent public showcasing of the \u00a0Shandong\u00a0 in \u00a0Hong Kong\u00a0 serves to fuel nationalist sentiments and bolster the legitimacy of Chinese governance through military prowess.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dispute Over the Pacific<\/strong> – China’s carriers not only serve for training or to extend influence but also act as an \u00a0operational instrument\u00a0 in the context of ongoing territorial disputes in the \u00a0South China\u00a0 and \u00a0East China Seas\u00a0. Analysts suggest that Beijing could leverage these naval assets to bolster its claims against \u00a0Japan\u00a0, \u00a0South Korea\u00a0, and other Southeast Asian nations, or even apply maritime pressure on \u00a0Taiwan\u00a0 by creating a blockade to restrict the flow of goods and communications.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While these aircraft carriers would likely be vulnerable to U.S. \u00a0missiles\u00a0 and \u00a0torpedoes\u00a0 in a direct conflict, their value lies in their capability to control extensive maritime regions, conduct surveillance, and exert political pressure. They are seen as a hybrid tool for both economic and military coercion, as noted by a Japanese academic in a recent \u00a0New York Times\u00a0 feature.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Evolutionary Logic<\/strong> – Since the \u00a0Taiwan Strait crisis\u00a0 in 1996, when the United States dispatched two carrier groups to deter Beijing’s aggressive posture, China recognized the imperative to enhance its \u00a0naval capabilities\u00a0. The journey commenced with the acquisition of an aging Soviet aircraft carrier, which was transformed into the \u00a0Liaoning\u00a0 and incorporated into the fleet in 2012.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Progress has been steady. The \u00a0Shandong\u00a0, commissioned in 2017, was the first to be entirely constructed in China, featuring \u00a0electromagnetic catapults\u00a0 critical for launching advanced and heavily armed aircraft.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Long Way Ahead<\/strong> – Despite these advancements, experts caution that Chinese naval operations remain primitive, defined by a gradual learning process. Scholars warn that China is keen to avoid costly blunders, aiming to solidify a \u00a0coherent maritime doctrine\u00a0 enabling it to compete on par with the world’s major naval powers within a few decades.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Indo-Pacific Theater<\/strong> – The concurrent deployment of the Liaoning and Shandong in deeper waters has significant implications, allowing the Chinese fleet to operate in unfamiliar environments while enhancing its readiness for future interventions in critical areas like the \u00a0Indian Ocean\u00a0, \u00a0Persian Gulf\u00a0, or even the \u00a0Mediterranean\u00a0.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Timothy Heath, a researcher with the \u00a0Rand Corporation\u00a0, noted that these aircraft carriers grant China the ability to execute aerial missions in \u00a0any operational area\u00a0 traversed by their navy, beyond the single foreign base it currently maintains in \u00a0Djibouti\u00a0. Controlling vital routes to the \u00a0Middle East\u00a0 and the \u00a0Strait of Malacca\u00a0 is likely to be high on China’s list of \u00a0strategic objectives\u00a0 in the coming years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A War of Symbols<\/strong> – As highlighted by the \u00a0New York Times\u00a0, as China builds more warships and strengthens alliances with African nations while enhancing port diplomacy in Asia and Africa, the Indo-Pacific becomes a stage where a new naval power competition unfolds\u2014aircraft carriers serve as pivotal tools in this geopolitical ambition.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Though these vessels do not ensure maritime supremacy, especially against a rival with \u00a0interdiction capabilities\u00a0 like the United States, their operational roles and symbolic weight significantly enhance China’s presence on the global stage. Beijing no longer aims merely to defend its coastlines but aspires to chart maritime routes that were once dominated exclusively by its primary competitor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image | RHK111<\/a>, Tyg728<\/a>, Ministry of National Defense The People’s Republic of China\/ Li Gang\/ Xinhua<\/a><\/p>\n In summary, the maritime ambitions of China, illustrated through its expanding carrier fleet, reflect a strategic objective to assert dominance in the \u00a0Indo-Pacific\u00a0 region and beyond. This transformation is not merely a function of military capability but is also deeply tied to national identity and global stature, setting the stage for a new era of international relations.<\/p>\n![\"Type](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Chinas-influence-is-extending-well-beyond-just-rare-earth-minerals.jpeg\")
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\n Shandong Inroads under construction, in 2019<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"CNS](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1752944353_485_Chinas-influence-is-extending-well-beyond-just-rare-earth-minerals.jpeg\")
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\n CNS Fujian<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"NASA](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/The-largest-piece-of-Mars-found-on-Earth-has-just.jpeg\"\/)
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