4th aircraft carrier of China likely to be nuclear-powered

Beijing: A video released by the Chinese navy highlighting China’s blue-water naval ambitions has sparked speculation that its fourth aircraft carrier currently being built will be a nuclear-powered one. ‘Into The Deep’ was released Wednesday to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy showcased Chinese navy’s transition from maritime ambitions and coastal defences. The video also highlighted China’s “blue-water” navy capable of deep-sea operations. It also showed a compass being handed down through generations of naval officers named after the three aircraft carriers Liao Ning, Shan Dong, and Fu Jian currently in operation. But a fourth character was named He Jian, hinting that it could be a nuclear-powered ship because “He” sounds like the Chinese word for “nuclear” and “Jian” is the word for a “ship”, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. China has not officially confirmed it. Satellite images taken over years suggest the ship is of a similar size to America’s nuclear-powered Gerald R Ford-class carriers, heightening speculation about whether a similar propulsion method will be used