Editor: zhangrui 丨CRI

03-31-2017 07:20 BJT

China's domestically-made aircraft carrier is currently being fitted out and will soon be launched, according to a spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense, who gave no further details.

The spokesperson, Wu Qian, made the response at a regular news briefing on Thursday in Beijing.

Earlier reports suggested that the carrier might be launched on April 23, when China celebrates the founding day of the Chinese navy.

The Chinese defense ministry announced plans to construct the new aircraft carrier, built by China itself, in late December 2015.

China's one active carrier, the Liaoning, was converted from a Soviet era aircraft cruiser, the Varyag, about 15 years ago, with its first sea trial taking place in 2011.

In September 2012, the Liaoning was commissioned into the Chinese navy and was declared ready for combat last November.