China's third aircraft carrier has entered service following a ceremony marking its handover to the navy attended by President Xi Jinping, state news agency Xinhua reported Friday.

The commissioning of the Fujian marks a key milestone in Xi's drive to modernise the Chinese military and project maritime power in the region, against a backdrop of competing territorial claims in the South China Sea and persisting tensions with Taiwan.

The official event took place on Wednesday at a naval port in China's southern island province of Hainan, Xinhua reported.

"After the ceremony, Xi Jinping boarded the Fujian... and learned about the development of the aircraft carrier system combat capabilities and the construction and application of the electromagnetic catapult system," Xinhua said.

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