C HINA on Thursday celebrated the 77th anniversary of the founding of its navy, whose growing strength has become an important force for regional and global stability.
As part of these celebrations, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy opened naval bases in more than 10 cities to the public, with dozens of active-duty vessels on display, according to the navy.
The lineup includes guided-missile destroyers, frigates and amphibious transport docks, along with support vessels such as replenishment ships and hospital ships. Many of the vessels have taken part in missions including escort operations in the Gulf of Aden, overseas visits and joint exercises. To mark the occasion, the navy also released a short film, “Into the Deep”, showing an aircraft carrier group operating alongside other naval forces, supported by carrier-based aircraft and shore-based missile systems in coordinated precision strikes.
China’s drive to develop a capable navy has been tied to both its geography and its history. With more than 18,000 kilometres of coastline and a vast maritime domain, the country has increasingly emphasized safeguarding its waters, shaped in part by over 470 foreign naval incursions from 1840 to 1949.
Founded in 1949, the same year as the People’s Republic of China, the PLA Navy has developed into a modern strategic service with a full range of naval branches and both conventional and nuclear capabilities. In just over a decade, the navy has built a trio of aircraft carriers.
The first, Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-made vessel, entered service in 2012, followed by Shandong in 2019, China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier.
Xinhua
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