China Launches Six New Warships, Drops Hint On New Aircraft Carrier

China has announced the launch of six new warships and two types of advanced vessel-based helicopters as part of the People Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's 73rd anniversary. A video released on the occasion also hinted that the country's third aircraft carrier will be revealed soon.

The new warships include a Type 075 amphibious assault ship, three Type 055 large destroyers, and two Type 052D destroyers, according to Chinese-state-backed media Global Times. The choppers have already started training to form combat capabilities.

This comes as China is on a mission to strengthen its Navy, by embarking on a shipbuilding spree. In 2015, Chinese premier Xi Jinping undertook a sweeping project to turn the PLA into a world-class fighting force, ordering investments in shipyards and technology. According to experts, the PLA Navy will strengthen through 2050.

Guangxi, China's second Type 075 amphibious assault ship, entered service with the Eastern Theater Command, which is in charge of the East China Sea and the Taiwan Straits, the report said, citing a press release by the PLA Eastern Theater Command. The first Type 075 amphibious assault ship is Hainan, which entered service with the Southern Theater Command that faces the South China Sea in 2021.

The three 10,000-ton-class Type 055 large destroyers that entered the service include Anshan and the Wuxi with the Northern Theater Command, and Yan'an with the Southern Theater Command.

Two Type 052D destroyers, namely the Shaoxing and the Baotou, too entered the service. While Shaoxing recently joined a series of realistic combat drills organized by the Eastern Theater Command Navy, Baotou has joined a five-day live-fire drill in the Yellow Sea.

However, the highlight of the celebration was a promotional video on China's aircraft carrier program that suggested that the third aircraft carrier will be officially revealed soon. The promotional video on China's aircraft carrier program started with the country's first carrier Liaoning, the second carrier Shandong and the carrier-based fighter jet J-15.

Interestingly, the video made an interesting turn when it showed a Naval officer who was on a phone call with his mother. The mother is shown urging him to have a "third child" to which the officer replies, "That's the plan." The camera moved from a picture of the Liaoning to the Shandong, and stopped at a blank space on the wall.

The report, quoting experts, said this was a clear implication that the country's third aircraft carrier is coming soon.