Beijing has said for the first time that its most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has tested its launch catapult.

A trailer for a military-themed TV series released by state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday showed footage apparently filmed from the carrier’s flight deck.

 

These included shots seemingly taken from a camera mounted under a warplane as it took off using the electromagnetic launch system and what appeared to be a sailor in an operations room triggering the device.

The Fujian, launched in June 2022, is China’s first aircraft carrier to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults, which will allow the vessel to launch planes more regularly.

It was not clear when the footage was taken or whether the test was carried out when the Fujian, which has not yet entered service, was in port or out at sea.

“We have waited too long for our military to become strong and world class. We must be at the forefront of defending our country’s interests,” a narrator said during the three-minute trailer.

The Fujian is believed to have begun its fourth sea trial following the release of maritime safety notices by the Shanghai authorities earlier this month.

 

Its first three sea trials did not test the launch mechanism and military analysts have previously said the test was likely to occur during its fourth or fifth trial.

Currently the USS Gerald R. Ford is the only other carrier to use the advanced catapult launch system, although the United States is building more Ford-class nuclear-powered carriers.

The PLA plans to have six aircraft carriers by 2035, making it the world’s second-largest blue-water navy after the United States.

The trailer was released ahead of a six-part CCTV series, but the first episode – broadcast on Wednesday night – did not feature the Fujian.

Instead it showed footage of an army operation to “defend the country and guard the border” on a high plateau.

The People’s Liberation Army has been steadily boosting its military presence along its disputed Himalayan border with India following a deadly clash in June 2020.

CCTV said that the feature focused on how PLA soldiers “are fighting a tough battle” to reach the goal of becoming a “world-class military” by the army’s centenary in 2027.

Taiwan’s defence ministry has warned that the Fujian would pose a “substantial threat” to the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory, in the event of a cross-strait conflict.

Most countries, including the island’s main international partner the US, do not formally recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the by force and is committed to arming the island to help it defend itself.

CCTV said the series was jointly produced by the political work department of the Central Military Commission, the top command body; the Cyberspace Administration of China, which regulates the internet; and the China Media Group, which manages CCTV.