Its inauguration makes China only the second country, after the United States, to operate a carrier with this aircraft launch technology.

President Xi Jinping oversaw the ceremony and boarded the Fujian afterwards to hear briefings on aircraft carrier combat capacities and the usage of the electromagnetic catapults, according to Xinhua.

The ceremony was presided over by General Zhang Shengmin, who was recently promoted to deputy chairman of the Central Military Commissiony. Other senior officials, including Xi’s chief of staff Cai Qi and Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing, also attended the ceremony, according to Xinhua.

Compared to the conventional ski-jump decks, catapults allow planes to be launched more frequently, at higher speeds from a shorter distance and with a higher payload.