The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong and its accompanying strike group entered Hong Kong waters on Thursday morning as part of a five-day trip, marking the first time one of the country’s fully domestically built carriers has visited the city.
The 70,000-tonne warship is being escorted by missile destroyers Yan’an and Zhanjiang, and the missile frigate Yuncheng, with the carrier to host a series of open tours and cultural exchange activities in the city until Monday next week.
The Shandong, spotted near Lamma Island at 7.17am, is the first carrier to call at Hong Kong since the Liaoning visited in July 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese sovereignty.
The Post tracks the much-awaited arrival of the Shandong and its fleet.
Reporting by Enoch Wong, Denise Tsang, Leopold Chen, Joshua Kwok, Vivian Au, Jess Ma, Wynna Wong and Lorraine Chiang.
