Aircraft carrier Liaoning returns to port city after 5-day visit in HK

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A fleet of Chinese warships led by China’s first domestically-built aircraft carrier, Liaoning, has returned to its port city Qingdao, in China’s eastern Shandong Province, after completing a five-day trans-regional training mission in Hong Kong.

The fleet set off for Hong Kong on June 25 to participate in a routine training mission, as well as to join the celebrations of the 20th handover anniversary of the region.

This year also represents two decades after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) started carrying out duties in the region.

CGTN Photo

The formation lasted 22 days, during which it traveled past the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea, with a total voyage of about 4,600 sea miles.

During the training, the naval formation composed of destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan, frigate Yantai and a squadron of J-15 fighter jets and helicopters have carried out a series of tasks to strengthen coordination among them and improve the skills of crew and pilots in different marine regions.

Liaoning stayed in Hong Kong from July 7 to 11, and was opened to the public there for the first time on July 8 and 9. More than 50,000 Hong Kong locals visited Liaoning, and three of its warships.

Soldiers form four Chinese characters meaning "Hello, Hong Kong" on the Liaoning aircraft carrier during its visit to the region. /VCG Photo

This was the first time the navy’s aircraft carrier formation has ever docked in Hong Kong, the first time Liaoning was shown to the public, and the first time aircraft-carried fighter jets was shown in a complete array .

As the first aircraft carrier commissioned into the PLA Navy Surface Force, Liaoning serves for training to practice with carrier usage. Last December, it was deployed for the first time in distant sea waters exercises and completed a passage through the Taiwan Strait in January.

Liaoning is a refurbished aircraft carrier built from the hull of a former Soviet Union ship bought from Ukraine. It used to be China's only aircraft carrier until April 2017, when the country unveiled its first home-made carrier, the Type 001A.

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