Warship known as the Type 004 is believed to be under construction at a shipyard in Dalian, though it has yet to be confirmed by Beijing.<\/b>
\nChina appears to be making progress on its fourth aircraft carrier at a shipyard in the country\u2019s northeast, according to satellite images, another key part of the navy\u2019s modernisation drive.
Commercial satellite images posted to Chinese social media show new hull sections at the shipyard in Dalian, Liaoning where the warship \u2013 known as the Type 004 \u2013 is believed to be being built.
The hull sections are visible in the satellite imagery from late September but were not seen in images from August.
Other hull sections believed to be for the Type 004 were first seen at the site \u2013 where China\u2019s first two aircraft carriers were also built \u2013 in May 2024, according to images shared on social media in February.
Military observers have since been closely watching commercial satellite imagery of the shipyard for signs of progress.
It comes as the navy\u2019s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing what is believed to be its final trials in the South China Sea and is expected to enter service soon. The Fujian \u2013 built by the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai and the first aircraft carrier to be fully designed and made in China \u2013 was also constructed using a modular technique.
Previous satellite images from the Dalian shipyard have shown models of the navy\u2019s aircraft carrier-based J-15 fighter jet and Z-8 helicopter.
While Beijing has never officially confirmed the existence of the Type 004, the project is widely believed to be under way. On the development of aircraft carriers, the defence ministry has said only that \u201ccomprehensive assessments will be made based on national security requirements and the progress of equipment and technology\u201d.<\/p>\n