A naval fleet led by the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong will arrive in Hong Kong next week for a five-day visit, with open tours and cultural exchanges among events to be held to improve residents鈥 understanding of the development of national defence.
The Ministry of National Defence announced on Saturday that the fleet, which includes the Yan鈥檃n and Zhanjiang missile destroyers, as well as the Yuncheng missile frigate, would visit from July 3 to 7 following the Central Military Commission鈥檚 approval.
The fleet will host a series of open tours and cultural exchange activities, with the visit coming just days after the city marks the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on Tuesday.
鈥淭hese events aim to offer Hong Kong compatriots a more direct and in-depth understanding of China鈥檚 advancements in national defence and military development in the new era,鈥 a Xinhua News Agency report said.
Two warships, the destroyer Changsha and assault ship Hainan, visited Hong Kong for five days last November.
The Shandong, launched in 2017 and officially in service since December 2019, is China鈥檚 first domestically built and outfitted conventionally powered aircraft carrier. It followed the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-made vessel, which was commissioned in 2012.
In an unprecedented show of strength, the Liaoning and Shandong earlier conducted exercises in the western Pacific beyond the 鈥渟econd island chain鈥, a strategic group of islands in the middle of the ocean which includes Guam, a US territory.
The People鈥檚 Liberation Army鈥檚 Navy said earlier this month that it had deployed two carrier groups in the Western Pacific and surrounding waters and conducted exercises to test their 鈥渇ar-sea defences and joint operational capabilities鈥.
Local political party the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong welcomed the fleet鈥檚 visit, saying it reflected the country鈥檚 care for the city.
Former party leader Starry Lee Wai-king, a member of the National People鈥檚 Congress Standing Committee, the country鈥檚 top legislative body, said the visit was a practical lesson in patriotic education, and she hoped that residents could seize the opportunity and take part in the activities.