BEIJING: About 16,000 people signed up for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s recently completed annual pilot recruitment drive, and among those who have passed the tests to become pilot cadets, nearly half will be trained to fly aircraft carrier-based fighter jets in the coming years. This is expected to satisfy China’s future aircraft carrier programs.

Experts on Monday said the ratio indicated China’s ambitions in aircraft carrier development, as the country could operate three or more aircraft carriers in the near future, which need more pilots.