Alexandre Dupont-Sinhsattanak
China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has carried out several sea trials since May 2024. Arguably, its technological level is higher than the two previous ones. It uses electromagnetic aircraft launch systems, similar to the US Navy Ford-class carriers (Suciu Citation2024). This development reflects China’s ambitious efforts to modernize its military capabilities, with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aiming to achieve complete military modernization and seeking to be a world-class military by 2049 (Bitzinger and Raska Citation2022). While the Fujian demonstrates China’s progress in indigenous innovation, it also highlights ongoing challenges. China’s historical reliance on foreign technologies underscoresthe crucial need for sustained indigenous innovation to meet these ambitious goals. The transition from imitation to pioneering technological breakthroughs remains a significant challenge, as shown by Fujian’s lack of truly disruptive innovations.
Not only is the issue of indigenous innovation important for China’s military modernization, but it is also a central question for the expansion of its arms exports. As the technological value of its products remains limited, international customers find themselves forced to find other sellers for advanced weapon systems. If China is not able to generate an efficient innovation system, it risks lacking behind the military capabilities of the West and losing market opportunities in the international market.
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