nsnbc : The People’s Republic of China launched its second aircraft carrier Wednesday morning in a Dalian shipyard in Liaoning province in northeast China. It is its first carrier that is “Made in China”. The carrier was launched amidst growing regional tensions and tensions about waterways of importance for the global economy, traversing disputed territories in the South China Sea.
China’s new carrier was transferred from a dry dock into open water at a launch ceremony starting at 9.a.m. local time in the Dalian Shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
China’s first aircraft carrier a refitted Soviet Union-made carrier was put into commission in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in 2012.
It was against the backdrop of China’s expansion in disputed South China Sea territories, the United States “Pivot to Asia” policy during the administration of Barack Obama, territorial disputes between China and Japan, and not least, the growing importance of international waterways in the region for the global economy that China, in November 2013, began building its second carrier. Dock construction started in March 2015.
The new carrier will undergo equipment debugging, systems testing, outfitting, mooring trials, sea trials and more before it becomes fully operative.
The launch ceremony included a performance of the national anthem, ribbon cutting, breaking a champagne bottle on the bow, and steam whistles from ships nearby.
The ceremony was attended by Fan Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, as well as leaders of the PLA Navy and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.
Ma Xiaoguang, a Chinese mainland spokesperson with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Wednesday he was proud of the great achievement made by the country in modernizing the national defense and military.
“[The move] will help to strengthen our capability to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as major and core interests,” Ma said at a press conference in Beijing.
CH/L – nsnbc 26.04.2017
Source Article from https://nsnbc.me/2017/04/26/china-launched-its-second-aircraft-carrier/
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