China deploys new aircraft carrier to South China Sea after its ship collides with Philippine vessel

Beijing, Sep 16 (PTI) China on Tuesday dispatched its new aircraft carrier 'Fujian' to the disputed South China Sea (SCS), amid growing maritime tensions with the Philippines over a disputed shoal leading to naval vessels of both countries colliding with each other to assert their claims.

Fujian, the third aircraft carrier of the Chinese navy, has not yet been officially operationalised. It has sailed into the South China Sea for testing and training, with its construction progressing as needed, the Defence Ministry here said on Tuesday.

The deployment of the Fujian, the most advanced of the three aircraft carriers, comes after the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Tuesday alleged that a Philippine government vessel deliberately rammed into one of its ships in Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory that both countries claim.

China calls the shoal Huangyan Dao. China has already deployed some of its biggest CCG vessels in the area to assert its claims.

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims.

CCG spokesperson Gan Yu said that over 10 Philippine official vessels “illegally” entered China's territorial waters near Huangyan Dao, and the CCG took control measures in accordance with the law, including warnings, navigation route control, and the use of water cannons against the Philippine vessels.

However, at around 10 a.m., one of the ships ignored multiple warnings from the Chinese side and deliberately rammed into a CCG ship in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, Gan said.  He claimed the Philippine side's intentional infringement and provocative actions are malicious in nature, adding that the Philippine side bears full responsibility for the collision, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.   The Philippines, backed by the US, is trying to assert its claims over the South China Sea based on the 2016 ruling by a tribunal of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), endorsing its rights.

China, which had boycotted the tribunal, rejected its findings.

The collusion of the naval ships from both sides has become frequent in recent months.

After the allegations of collusion of the vessels, the Chinese defence ministry announced the deployment of the Fujian aircraft carrier, stating that it is for testing and training.

Fujian, which is stated to be the most advanced aircraft carrier possessing the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) similar to that of the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, was launched in 2024. Since then, it has completed multiple sea trials.

China currently has two aircraft carriers in operation- the Liaoning, a refit of the Soviet-era ship commissioned in 2012, and Shandong, which is an indigenously built 2nd aircraft carrier commissioned in 2019.

A Chinese defence spokesperson, Jiang Bin, told the media here on Tuesday that Fujian will surely play its due role in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests.

The Fujian was in the news recently when it passed through the Taiwan Strait on Sept 12.

Jiang said its deployment in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea was aimed at carrying out scientific research tests and training missions, which is a regular arrangement in the aircraft carrier's construction process, in line with relevant international law and international practice and is not aimed at any specific country or target.

"China is committed to peaceful development and pursues a defence policy that is defensive in nature, and we have always advanced aircraft carrier construction based on national security needs and the development of equipment technology," he said. PTI KJV  ZH ZH ZH