China is reportedly building its fourth aircraft carrier, indicating the country's plan to expand its navy while militarizing the contested South China Sea islands.
Construction of China's fourth aircraft carrier, which is slated to be commissioned by 2023, has reportedly started, Taiwanese newspaper China Times reported. A new "block" has allegedly emerged at Dalian Shipyard, where China's first indigenous aircraft carrier, the Type 001A carrier, has been assembled.
The alleged block construction of the fourth vessel, which is being referred as the Type 002A, could indicate the assembly of prefabricated sections.
Early reports suggested that the fourth carrier could be nuclear powered and will use advanced launch and lacing systems. It will also carry fourth-generation fixed wing aircraft, warning aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft, and other ship-based aircraft.
Li Jie, a navy expert from Beijing, told Global Times that the Type 002A will be larger and will have an improved stealth performance, although it cannot be confirmed if the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) and aircraft landing technology would be used.
Meanwhile, the country's third aircraft carrier, the Type 002, is also under construction at Shanghai's Jiangnan Changxingdao shipyard since March 2015. The carrier is slated to be deployed in 2021.
Li predicted that the third aircraft will be conventionally powered but will use steam launch catapults; will be bigger and more capable; and will look more like the US' aircraft carrier instead of Russia.
China will not stop constructing aircraft carriers even though it recently launched its second carrier, experts suggested, saying that the new Type 001A only marks the rise of Beijing's maritime power.
"I think we must have five to six aircraft carriers. It will take 20 to 30 years for the PLAN to deploy all of them and be able to conduct strike group operations," Li said.
In April, China also launched the Type 001A aircraft carrier, which boasts of around 8,000 technological breakthroughs and industrial standards in advanced manufacturing sectors including electronic equipment, power plants, and steel products.