The Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong entered the port of Hong Kong, demonstrating strength and unity

On July 3, 2025, China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Shandong, arrived in Hong Kong, just days after the city celebrated the 28th anniversary of reunification with China. This event became an important symbol of the country's national pride and military might, and also demonstrated the strengthening of ties between the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) and the residents of the special administrative region.

The aircraft carrier Shandong, which is over 300 meters long, was officially commissioned in 2019. She became the second aircraft carrier in the PLA Navy after the upgraded Liaoning aircraft carrier, purchased from Ukraine and refitted in China. However, unlike Liaoning, Shandong was fully developed and built in the shipyards of China, which indicates the significant success of the Chinese defense industry.

The visit to Hong Kong by a delegation led by the aircraft carrier Shandong is part of a five-day visit that also includes the destroyer Zhanjiang and the frigate Yuncheng. It is expected that open events will be organized during the visit, including guided tours for local residents and cultural exchanges between naval units and the civilian population. Such visits are conducted regularly and serve not only to build trust between the military and society, but also to demonstrate stability and control by the central government in Beijing.

Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China is actively developing its naval forces, seeking to strengthen its influence in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region. The Navy's modernization program includes the construction of new ships, the development of aircraft carrier groups and the expansion of infrastructure on artificial islands. This process has caused concern among neighboring countries such as Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and India, which view the growing power of the Chinese Navy as a potential threat to their security.

Shandong's arrival in Hong Kong also has deep political significance. After several years of tension related to the anti-government protests of 2019-2020, such demonstrations of force and at the same time openness to dialogue can help restore trust between the center and the semi-autonomous region. The Chinese authorities emphasize that Hong Kong remains a strategically important financial and logistical hub where military and civilian structures must work together in the interests of national unity.

The visit of the aircraft carrier Shandong was the first in recent years and marks the resumption of the tradition when large warships visit Hong Kong in order to establish contacts and raise public awareness about the achievements of the Chinese navy. Large-scale events planned in the coming days are expected by thousands of visitors who want to see with their own eyes one of the most modern examples of Chinese naval equipment.

Incident in international waters: Chinese plane flew near Japanese patrol plane

A tense event took place in international waters: a Chinese plane took off from the moving aircraft carrier Shandong and soon after flew just 45 meters from a patrol aircraft of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF). The incident occurred over the weekend and caused serious concern in Tokyo.

On Thursday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi publicly called on Beijing to take measures to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future. Hayashi stressed that a close overflight of aircraft in international waters could lead to an accidental collision, which would be a serious violation of security in the region.