It was always the basic program to build three carriers.
Generally, you need three, to always have one on duty. They generally take turns rotating through three cycles - mission, training and maintenance.
Strategically, it is much more advantageous to contest with China now on trade and constrain their budget, than it would be to contest with them later militarily, after allowing them rapid growth.
Not only their military construction budget will be constrained, but so will their budget to corrupt other Politicians/Governments.
The money from their trade surplus (and the tech transfer from open access and massive espionage) is the center of gravity for their strategy to replace us as the dominant power in the world, and institute their model of dictatorial police states.
Would you happen to know when China will be sending a carrier group into the Gulf of Mexico?