The main hull and design of China's first locally made aircraft carrier has been completed, and now workers are installing equipment on the carrier.

The announcement was made by Wu Qian, spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense at a regular media briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

Earlier reports suggested that the aircraft carrier is assembling in the northeastern city of Dalian and is expected to be launched sometime next year.

China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was a refitted Russian-made carrier delivered to the Chinese Navy on Sept. 25, 2012.