Images allegedly depicting China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, have surfaced on Chinese social media platforms, despite China's efforts to prevent leaks of military assets.
The photos, which emerged on Tuesday on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, appear to have been captured from an aircraft flying over a shipyard.
China has been increasingly vigilant in countering leaks of military equipment through social media.
The country's three aircraft carriers are part of Beijing's broader strategy to enhance its naval capabilities, with President Xi Jinping aiming to develop a "blue-water" navy capable of projecting power beyond China's shores.
The Fujian, classified as Type 003, is comparable in size to U.S. Navy supercarriers but lacks nuclear propulsion and other advanced capabilities.
It is currently undergoing mooring trials at Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard.
The shipyard is located near Shanghai Pudong airport, allowing the Fujian to be photographed from departing flights.
Analysts anticipate that the Fujian will soon undergo its maiden sea trials, with some speculating that it could happen on Navy Day, which falls on April 23rd.
However, the Ministry of State Security (MSS) has issued warnings against sharing images of China's military assets online.
The MSS cautioned that sharing such images could lead to imprisonment, highlighting the seriousness with which Beijing views unauthorized leaks of sensitive military information.
The ministry emphasized that disseminating such information could allow hostile forces to assess China's military capabilities and potentially prepare countermeasures.