According to informed sources, China has yet to start construction on the new generation Type 002 aircraft carrier.

Experts say Beijing is still researching how to build this type of ship equipped with a steam-powered aircraft launch system safely and reliably.

Previously on April 26, China launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier, Type 001A.

Recent images of giant ship parts at the Dalian shipyard in Liaoning province, posted on the internet by military enthusiasts, have led to speculation that the shipyard has begun construction on the Type 002 aircraft carrier.

However, Macau-based military expert Antony Wong Dong said the giant ship parts could be part of China's largest amphibious assault ship, the Type 075.

Zhou Chenming, an expert at the Knowfar Institute for Strategic and Defense Studies, also said that these parts could belong to a warship but not to the Type 002 aircraft carrier. He affirmed that the Type 002 shipbuilding project has not been decided yet and said that it does not mean that all aircraft carriers will be built at the same shipyard.

China's leadership has always encouraged two or three arms manufacturers to compete with each other, like the healthy competition between Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and Shenyang Aerospace Corporation in fighter jet production.

According to Mr. Zhou, there is still debate about whether the Type 002 will run on traditional fuel or nuclear fuel.

He stated: "This decision will be made by President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China Xi Jinping because this aircraft carrier project refers to a strategic weapon related to China's long-term, comprehensive defense plan.

Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said Chinese leaders have prioritized safety because the Type 002 will be China's first aircraft carrier equipped with a steam-powered catapult system and "does not need to be launched in time or meet any commemorative events."

According to Baotintuc