It transited the Taiwan Strait this month, moving to the South China Sea for “scientific research and training,” escorted by two destroyers. Plausible scenarios include assisting an invasion of Taiwan, gunboat diplomacy in the South China Sea and power projection in the Indian Ocean. The same carriers could be the centerpieces of China’s South China Sea gunboat diplomacy. In addition to that, China’s carriers – especially future nuclear-powered units –could extend their reach beyond the Pacific. These bases and port facilities could support PLAN vessels securing China’s sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) that bypass the Malacca Strait.