China aircraft carrier 'Shandong' draws crowds in first Hong Kong visit

3/7/2025 16:40

China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Shandong, sailed into Hong Kong waters on Thursday in its first visit to the Asian financial hub, accompanied by three People's Liberation Army vessels including missile destroyers.



The five-day visit, coming soon after Hong Kong marked the 28th anniversary of its return from British to Chinese rule, is one of the biggest shows of Chinese military force in Hong Kong in recent years.



China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was rebuilt from a decommissioned Soviet naval vessel and visited Hong Kong in 2017.



Last month, both these Chinese ships had conducted the first known dual aircraft carrier operation in the Pacific, in what senior Taiwanese and Japanese officials said signified China's expansionist aims beyond its borders.



Stretching 315 meters in length and weighing up to 70,000 tonnes, the Shandong passed through Hong Kong waters before anchoring on the western edge of Victoria Harbour with J-15 fighter jets and Z-18 helicopters on its flight deck.