Xi attends commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday attended the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian, China's first aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, in south China's Hainan Province.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, boarded the aircraft carrier to inspect the vessel after the ceremony at a naval port in the city of Sanya.

About 2,000 representatives from the navy and institutions involved in the construction of the aircraft carrier took part in the ceremony on Wednesday.

At the ceremony, Xi presented a flag of the Chinese People's Liberation Army to the captain and political commissar of the Fujian, and took a group photo with them.

Aboard the vessel, Xi was briefed on the country's aircraft carrier development. He learned about the systematic combat capabilities of the aircraft carriers and the electromagnetic catapult system.

On the flight deck, new-generation carrier-based aircraft, including the J-35 and J-15T fighter jets and the KongJing-600 early warning aircraft, were parked in sequence.

Xi was briefed on the functional layout of the deck and observed the equipment and facilities.

Talking with carrier-based aircraft pilots, Xi learned about the performance of the aircraft and advantages of the catapult system. He also watched a demonstration of take-offs.

Xi encouraged the carrier-based aircraft pilots and aviation support crew to keep improving their skills and expertise, and to contribute to the development of the combat capabilities of the Fujian.

Xi visited the control tower on the island section of the Fujian to learn about flight command and takeoff-and-landing operations. He then entered the pilot house, where he signed the log book.

It was Xi's decision that the Fujian adopt the electromagnetic catapult system. On Wednesday, he visited the control area of this system and attentively observed the operational procedures.

He also toured the vessel's dining facilities and crew quarters to inspect the living conditions of officers and sailors.

Bearing the hull number 18, this aircraft carrier is one of the country's three carriers currently in service. Named after Fujian Province in east China and launched in June 2022, the vessel was independently designed and built by China.

Xi attends commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier

Xi attends commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier

Xi attends commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier

Xi attends commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier

Xi attends commissioning of China's Fujian aircraft carrier

Tanzanians doing business in the Middle East have been forced to scale down or cease operations altogether, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts global travel.

In early March, Tanzanian authorities sent a special flight to bring home more than 200 citizens from Dubai.

Mustapha Khatow, who runs the travel agency Sky Link Travel and Tours, said he has spent nearly four decades in the tourism industry, moving between Dubai and Tanzania, serving both corporate and leisure travelers. But the recent tensions involving Iran and the disruption to flights and business have hit hard, forcing him to relocate his family back to Tanzania.

"Tanzanian travel agents in the whole, they have been hit, because we've had huge cancellations for Eid, people going to Dubai, for Easter holidays, going to Dubai. So, we have lost a big chunk of people who do not wish to go to Dubai at this time," he said.

The impact is being felt beyond tourism. Supply challenges linked to the conflict have pushed up global oil prices, raising concerns for import-dependent economies like Tanzania. Authorities say they are taking measures to cushion businesses and maintain steady fuel supplies.

Aviation and tourism in the Middle East have also taken a hit. In Dubai, more than 80,000 travel bookings were canceled in the first week of the conflict as airports faced intermittent closures and uncertainty, leading to millions of dollars in losses.

Reports indicate that visitor arrivals in the Middle East could decline by between 11 percent and 27 percent in 2026. Travel industry professionals like Khatow view the downturn as collateral damage from the conflict and hope for a swift resolution to help revive tourism.

"Those big traders who bring containers to Tanzania, they have a challenge because of the shipping lines getting delayed, freight charges going up. And again, another issue is Air Tanzania has not been flying to Dubai since then, apart from one repatriation flight," he said.

Khatow said diplomacy will be key to restoring stability, while accurate reporting can help limit further damage to businesses.

US-Israeli war on Iran disrupts travel businesses from Tanzania