China’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, officially entered into service this week, the country’s military announced on Friday, bringing Beijing another step closer to its goal of rivaling American naval power in the region. The Fujian, which features an electromagnetic catapult system for launching and landing aircraft, was commissioned for service on Wednesday, when China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, presided over the ceremony on Hainan, an island in the country’s south, the Liberation Army Daily and other state-run news outlets announced. Mr. Xi, dressed in army green in his role as chairman of China’s military, strode the deck of the carrier, inspecting aircraft and praising their pilots as heroes, video released by Chinese official media showed.

Full report : The Fujian, China’s most advanced carrier, went into official service this week. It brings the country closer to challenging U.S. naval dominance.