An aerial drone photo taken on May 7, 2024 shows China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, during its maiden sea trials. China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, completed maiden sea trials on Wednesday.(Photo: Xinhua)

On Thursday afternoon, the official Weibo account of China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) posted a high-definition video of the aircraft carrier Fujian undergoing sea trials along with the caption: “We know you’ve been waiting for two days — don’t worry, take a look at this first.”

According to official media reports, the Fujian, China's third aircraft carrier, with hull number 18, was launched in June 2022. Unlike the ski-jump decks of China's first two carriers – the Liaoning and the Shandong – it is China's first domestically made carrier that uses catapults. With a full-load displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices. Since its first sea trials in May 2024, the Fujian has carried out a series of maritime tests according to plan, progressing with equipment commissioning and assessments of overall operational stability.

Global Times