View source for China Boasts Its Second Aircraft Carrier Is Military Ready

[/news/china/index.html China] has claimed that its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, is now military ready after soldiers carried out a series of live-fire drills.<br>The country's state broadcaster this week released a dramatic video, which shows the 50,000-tonne warship launching ammunition to blow up enemy targets during an exercise.<br>Beijing's show of military might comes as tensions have heightened between China and the United States after Washington approved two sales of weapon and defence systems worth around $4.2billion (£3.25billion) to Taiwan.<br>                China claimed that its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, had completed a series of drills. Pictured, the ship is docked at a naval port in Sanya in southern China on December 17, 2019<br>         Footage shows the ship launching ammunition to blow up enemy targets during an exercise<br>   RELATED ARTICLES  [# Previous] [# 1] [# Next]     [/news/article-8888305/Panda-Mei-Xiang-Chinese-web-users-urge-government-save-based-bear-abused.html  Chinese web users urge authorities to 'save' US-based panda...] [/news/article-8891611/Hong-Kong-teen-activist-Tony-Chung-charged-secession.html  Teen Hong Kong activist is charged with secession as he...] [/news/article-8892219/Taiwan-marks-200-days-without-domestically-transmitted-coronavirus-case.html  Covid-19 success story Taiwan marks 200 days without a...] [/news/article-8890845/Joe-Biden-compromised-Chinese-Communist-Party-answer-key-questions.html  Joe Biden 'could be compromised by the Chinese Communist...]    <br><br><br><br>Share this article<br>Share<br>16 shares<br><br><br>China's propaganda machine has been [/news/article-8872451/South-China-Sea-Beijing-claims-soldiers-launched-dozens-missiles-live-fire-drill.html boasting about the country's military capabilities] while sending warnings to other countries amid souring relations with the US and self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own. <br>Chinese President Xi this month told his marine soldiers to [/news/article-8838495/Chinas-President-Xi-tells-soldiers-focus-preparing-WAR-visits-marine-base.html focus on war preparedness] while remaining highly vigilant.<br>China Central Television's military channel reported on Tuesday that the Shandong had 'successfully completed a series of maritime tests and training items'.<br>It stated that the military exercises 'effectively examined' the performance of the vessel's weapons and equipment.<br>         China Central Television's military channel stated on Tuesday that the Shandong had 'successfully completed a series of maritime tests and training items' in a video report (above) <br>         Lai Yijun, the captain of the Shandong, is pictured be[/news/article-7800999/Chinas-second-aircraft-carrier-Shandong-enters-service-amid-tensions-Taiwan-US.html <br><br>was commissioned by Chinese President Xi][/news/article-7800999/Chinas-second-aircraft-carrier-Shandong-enters-service-amid-tensions-Taiwan-US.html was commissioned by Chinese President Xi] during a ceremony at a naval port in Sanya, southern China's Hainan Province, in December last year.<br>The ship is named after the eastern coastal province of Shandong and puts China in a small club of nations with multiple aircraft carriers.<br>Beijing's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is a re-fitted Soviet-era Ukrainian ship and named after the province where it was revamped. It entered service in September, 2012.<br>The country is building [/news/article-8739675/Chinas-aircraft-carrier-pictured-construction-Shanghais-warship-factory.html a third aircraft carrier], which will be equipped with a flat-top flight deck and an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, according to previous reports. <br>                The warship was commissioned to China's People's Liberation Army Navy in Sanya, Hainan Province, last December by Chinese President Xi (seen in CCTV news) during a ceremony<br>China Central Television last week claimed that Beijing's army had launched [/news/article-8872451/South-China-Sea-Beijing-claims-soldiers-launched-dozens-missiles-live-fire-drill.html dozens of missiles] during drills over the South China Sea. <br>The air-to-air missiles were reportedly fired during the two-day military exercise attended by nearly 100 soldiers in an undisclosed area on the South China Sea.<br>The United States on Monday said it had approved a $2.4billion (£1.86billion) sale of 100 Harpoon coastal defence systems to democratically ruled Taiwan.<br>It came after the US State Department had given the green light to a separate deal of three weapons systems to the island, including sensors, missiles and artillery that could have a total value of $1.8billion (£1.38billion).<br>Beijing has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan since the 2016 election of Tsai, who views the island as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of 'one China'.<br>              Beijing has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan since the 2016 election of Tsai, who views the island as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of 'one China'. Tsai is pictured reacting during an election campaign in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on January 5<br>Chinese fighter jets and  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/du-lich-trung-quoc-gia-re/ kynghidongduong.vn] bombers have entered Taiwan's air defence zone with unprecedented frequency in recent months, while propaganda films have shown [/news/article-8831001/China-threatens-Taiwan-conducting-live-fire-military-drill.html simulated attacks] on Taiwan-like territories and US bases in Guam. <br>Beijing said Tuesday it 'firmly opposed' Washington's move, urging the US to 'call off the relevant arms sales plan to Taiwan, so as not to cause further damage to China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait'.<br>Foreign ministry [http://scp-knowledge.org/?s=spokesman%20Wang spokesman Wang] Wenbin said China would 'take proper and necessary measures to firmly safeguard its national sovereignty and security interests.'<br>China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that it would impose sanctions on the US companies involved in the sales, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin.<br>A US official on Wednesday played down the threats, saying that Beijing, not Washington,  [https://www.kynghidongduong.vn/tours/du-lich-trung-quoc-gia-re/ tour trung quoc] was jeopardising regional stability.<br>       <br><br><br><br>data-track-module="am-external-links^external-links"><br>Read more:<br><br>[ CCTV Military/Weibo]<br><br><br><br>DM.later('bundle', function()<br>DM.has('external-source-links', 'externalLinkTracker');<br>);