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.
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.
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.
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
Footage shows the ship launching ammunition to blow up enemy targets during an exercise
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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, kynghidongduong.vn which China claims as its own. 
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.
China Central Television's military channel reported on Tuesday that the Shandong had 'successfully completed a series of maritime tests and training items'.
It stated that the military exercises 'effectively examined' the performance of the vessel's weapons and equipment.
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) 
Lai Yijun, the captain of the Shandong, is pictured being interviewed by the official channel
Lai Yij[/news/article-7800999/Chinas-second-aircraft-carrier-Shandong-enters-service-amid-tensions-Taiwan-US.html

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, tour trung quốc giá rẻ southern China's Hainan Province, in December last year.
The ship is named after the eastern coastal province of Shandong and puts China in a small club of nations with multiple aircraft carriers.
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.
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. 
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
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. 
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.
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.
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).
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'.
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
Chinese fighter jets and 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. 
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'.
Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China would 'take proper and necessary measures to firmly safeguard its national sovereignty and security interests.'
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.
A US official on Wednesday played down the threats, saying that Beijing, not Washington, was jeopardising regional stability.




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[ CCTV Military/Weibo]



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