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They will be second only to us in the amount of aircraft carriers.

Carrier operations are exceedingly complex. The US has over 70 years of experience in the area. China has none. While these may be 'operational' in a couple of years they will take at least a decade to gain any serious profiency in carrier operations.

They’ve been around as a civilization for over a thousand years. They’re not worried about needing another decade to get proficient. What they have and what we lack (now) is a vision of where they want their society to be in the future.

"While these may be 'operational' in a couple of years they will take at least a decade to gain any serious profiency in carrier operations."

What you are saying is true. Heck, even the article alludes to it when talking about this first aircraft carrier they got from Russia being a sort of training tool to teach them how to build their own. However, when they gain this proficiency, is there any doubt that they will aim this new found power at Taiwain? Right now, all their talk against Taiwain is just bluster because no matter how large their Military is, it's a joke if they don't have the ability to move them anywhere. How about when they get the ability to project power beyond their borders? Then it won't be a joke and Taiwain won't be laughing. This could cause South Korea to start building up their Naval forces and I think it's about high time that Japan amends their constitution to allow more than defensive operations.