BEIJING, Nov 7 – China has officially launched its first aircraft carrier designed and built in the country, named the Fujian. This announcement came after several months of sea trials, as reported by state media on Friday.

President Xi Jinping attended the Fujian's commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony held in Hainan province on Wednesday and also took a tour of the ship, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier. It features a flat flight deck and uses electromagnetic catapults for launching aircraft, making it a more advanced naval asset compared to the first two carriers, which were designed by Russia.

This new carrier can accommodate more and heavier jet fighters than the Liaoning and Shandong, which have smaller sizes and use ramps for take-offs.

During the sea trials before its commissioning, the Chinese navy tested its new J-35 stealth fighter designed for carriers, along with the KJ-600 early-warning aircraft and a version of the existing J-15 fighter.

Military attaches and analysts in the region are keenly observing the forthcoming deployments of the Fujian, assessing how quickly it can become operational by monitoring its flight activities and coordination with support ships and submarines.