China's 1st home-built carrier deploys to South China Sea

Newly commissioned Shandong tasked with handling future Taiwan crisis

China homegrown aircraft carrier

China's first homegrown aircraft carrier, shown here during sea trials in November, entered into service on Dec. 17 in the South China Sea. © AP

TSUKASA HADANO, Nikkei staff writer

BEIJING -- China's first domestically built aircraft carrier entered into service Tuesday, backing up Beijing's claims in the South China Sea from its home port on the southern island of Hainan.

Named the Shandong, the new conventional-powered carrier was commissioned at a ceremony attended by President Xi Jinping and about 5,000 military personnel and other guests.

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