China's second aircraft carrier to be launched soon

China's domestically-made aircraft carrier is currently being fitted out and will soon be launched, according to a spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense, who gave no further details.

The Liaoning was converted from a Soviet era aircraft cruiser, the Varyag. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

The spokesperson, Wu Qian, made the response at a regular news briefing on Thursday in Beijing.

Earlier reports suggested that the carrier might be launched on April 23, when China celebrates the founding day of the Chinese navy.

The Chinese defense ministry announced plans to construct the new aircraft carrier, built by China itself, in late December 2015.

A J-15 carrier-borne fighter jet is landing on aircraft carrier Liaoning during a training mission in the Yellow Sea on December 23, 2016. A naval formation consisting of aircraft carrier Liaoning, several destroyers and frigates was on training and testing missions last week, military sources said on Saturday. [Photo: Navy.81.cn]

China's one active carrier, the Liaoning, was converted from a Soviet era aircraft cruiser, the Varyag, about 15 years ago, with its first sea trial taking place in 2011.

In September 2012, the Liaoning was commissioned into the Chinese navy and was declared ready for combat last November.