China to build second aircraft carrier

China plans to add another aircraft carrier to its fleet as it continues to expand its military reach.

Beijing already has one aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, bought in 1998 from Ukraine and which entered service in 2012. The carrier announced today, however was "independently designed in China" and is being constructed in the northeastern port of Dalian, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said.

The U.S. military and independent analysts have long believed that China has been working on its own aircraft carrier project while using the Liaoning for training purposes. "China ... continues to pursue an indigenous aircraft carrier program and could build multiple aircraft carriers over the next 15 years," the Pentagon said in its annual assessment of the Chinese military earlier this year.

The new carrier will have a gross displacement of 50,000 tonnes and will be propelled by a conventional power source, Yang said.
It is expected to be capable of launching Chinese J-15 fighter jets and other aircraft, using a ski-jump ramp, similar to that used in British aircraft carriers for takeoff.

In the statement, Yang emphasised that China will stick to "the path of peaceful development" and "a national defense policy that is defensive in nature."The Defense Ministry promised to continue to provide updates on the carrier's progress.