China conducts first sea trials of new aircraft carrier

BEIJING: China’s Fujian aircraft carrier took to the water for maiden sea trials on Wednesday, state media said, a key next step in a vast naval build-up by Beijing as it carves out a more assertive role for itself in the Pacific and beyond.

The Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier after the Liaoning and the Shandong vessels and is the Chinese navy’s largest-ever ship. It departed from eastern Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard at around 8am, state news agency Xinhua said.

The trials...