China has apparently been working on an aircraft carrier program since the early 1980s, and as part of this effort a F-8 Chinese fighter was reportedly shot off of a steam catapult at the Lushun naval base in 1987.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/lushun.htm

June 1
China’s Navy [PLAN] has decided to join the “aircraft carrier club,” reports the Jane’s International Navy publication. According to Chinese sources, the program has been approved to further the Navy’s plan for blue-water power projection in the South China Sea and for more distant future wars. Jane’s believes that the PLAN will model its carriers on the Russian Kuznetzov aircraft-carrying cruiser, which would suit China’s needs. The first ship in this program, code named Plan 9985, will be built at the Shanghai Jiangnan shipyard. The aircraft carrier’s ski-jump design will accommodate 24 combat aircraft, primarily Su-30MKK Flanker variants. The ship will also carry two missile batteries capable of housing 24 weapons. These could include the SS-N-22 Moskit supersonic anti-ship missiles, or its successor Yahont. Drawing on Russian expertise, China is also working on a land attack cruise missile, which could be included in the ship’s arsenal.

http://www.afpc.org/crm/crm311.htm

http://www.stormpages.com/jetfight/luhai_luhu_luda.htm

PLAN Project 9935 [Aircraft Carrier]
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/aircraft/project9935.pdf

10. The PLANAF Future Carrier Air Group: All pilots of PLANAF Fighter Air Divisions are required to “carrier qualify” at an airfield on a mock-up of HMAS Melbourne’s flight deck. [HMAS Melbourne was scrapped in China]. For this reason, it appears likely that PLAN carriers may operate aircraft from these air units, rather than dedicated carrier air groups (which have not appeared, even though two carriers are reported under construction in Shanghai). It is reported that these carriers are designed to operate about 48 aircraft . In this context, it is interesting to note that the new Fighter Air Division will have 40 active aircraft: 20 J-8II fighters and 20 JH-7 fighter/attack aircraft. The PLANAF appears to prefer the FC-1 (“Fighter China”) project to the J-11 (Su-27) as a future aircraft. [The FC-1, designed with assistance from MiG, is similar to the MiG-33, a single engine development of the MiG-29. It is designed to replace the J-6 and Q-5 at reasonable cost, having only one engine.] If this aircraft is indeed adopted, it is possible that future Fighter Air Divisions might operate about 20 J-10 or FC-1 and 20 JH-7.
PLANAF Carriers: While three graving docks have been built at Shanghai large enough for the new (reportedly 48,000 ton) carriers, only two seem to have been laid down. [Janes Fighting Ships 2001-2 is listing only one; Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft 2001-2 is listing two; Combat Fleets of the World 2002-3 says none]. While three graving docks are sufficient to build six carriers in 6-9 years, actually doing so is probably cost prohibitive. Since no dedicated carrier air groups are being organized, and since PLANAF Fighter Air Divisions are being required to “carrier qualify” it appears that they will provide the air groups for the first generation of Chinese aircraft carriers. There are apparently five such divisions. [If the First Air division is a Fighter Air Division and if the 10th Bomber Air Division is eventually converted to a Fighter Air Division, there would be seven such divisions.] Given that the air defense of bases and naval units over the entire length of the Chinese coast remains, it appears likely that there is no medium term requirement to outfit a large number of carriers. Instead, it seems likely the two ships under construction will be the first generation of Chinese carriers. Note that the use ability of all PLANAF fighter units to land on and fly off carriers is unique in history.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/agency/planaftoe.html

CDF
wer2 BS 48
Fighters Aircraft- 20 / J-8B
http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/aircraft/fighter/j8b.asp
Fighter-Bomber aircraft- 20 / JH-7A
http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/aircraft/bomber/jh7.asp
AEW-2/Y-7
http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/aircraft/transport/y7.asp
ASW- 4/ Z-8/ 2-Z-9
http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/aircraft/helicopter/z8.asp
http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/aircraft/helicopter/z9c.asp
CDF