News Flash: China's Third Aircraft Carrier Could Be Nuclear

China has an aircraft carrier. In fact, multiple media sources confirm that China has already begun work on its second aircraft carrier, a sister ship to the Liaoning (PLAN CV-16), and likely to be designated CV-17.

What's more, People's Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan has publicly stated that China's People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) needs three aircraft carriers at a minimum, just to maintain parity with its neighbors.

As the general explained: "India will have three aircraft carriers by 2014 and Japan will have three carriers by 2014, so I think the number (for China) should not be less than three." So it should come as no great surprise when we learn that China's race to build a blue water navy is now rounding the corner and heading for a third carrier build.

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