China unveiled to the rest of the world how serious it is about improving its military in a pageantry-filled event.
The country's second aircraft carrier was revealed during a ceremony in the northeastern port of Dalian. The ship is the first one built domestically by China and was celebrated with Champagne and banners.
The new carrier isn't expected to be fully operational until 2020. But China is already showing signs of attempting to assert dominance in the region. It already has the world's second-largest military budget after the U.S. at $148 billion.
The new aircraft carrier is seen as a significant upgrade over China's only other aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Contrast that with the U.S. Navy, which boasts 10 aircraft carriers at a time when President Trump hasn't been shy about wanting to expand the military.
In an interview with The New York Times, the senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program, Patrick Cronin, said, "With each new aircraft carrier, China is sending a signal that it has no peer among its neighbors."
The region has had plenty of military tension lately. North Korea has had a hand in spiking that tension with its threat of using nuclear weapons.
Experts don't believe China is done expanding its military. It's believed to be working on two to four more aircraft carriers. These ships are expected to be closer to the size and technology of current U.S. Navy carriers.
