China’s first domestically constructed aircraft carrier, the Shandong, arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday in a high-profile display of national pride, just days after the city marked 28 years since its return from British to Chinese rule.
The Shandong entered Hong Kong waters early in the morning, accompanied by another vessel from its battle group. State media reported that two destroyers and a frigate joined the carrier for its arrival. The fleet will be open to public visits over the weekend.
Demand from local residents was high, with all 10,000 available tickets for ship visits already claimed. Of those, 2,000 were designated for tours of the Shandong, with the remainder for visits to one of the destroyers and the frigate, according to local media.
This marks a symbolic moment, coming just after the anniversary of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China, and ties into Beijing’s growing push to boost patriotism in the city—especially following the pro-democracy protests of 2019. Since then, many opposition figures have been jailed under a sweeping national security law, and public dissent has been heavily restricted.
Although Hong Kong maintains a degree of autonomy and enjoys more civil liberties than many other Chinese cities, it has no authority over military or foreign affairs. The Chinese military operates a garrison in the city, consisting of land, sea, and naval forces.
The Shandong is China’s second aircraft carrier, and the first built entirely within the country. Smaller than U.S. aircraft carriers, it carries 24 Shenyang J-10 fighter jets and weighs around 70,000 tons when fully loaded.
Earlier this year, in April, the Shandong took part in military drills near Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory. These exercises included naval and air force units in the seas and skies east of Taiwan.
China frequently sends military aircraft and naval vessels toward Taiwan and has been ramping up the intensity and scope of its operations in the region.
In May, the Shandong conducted joint exercises with China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, in the Pacific Ocean—beyond the so-called first island chain—demonstrating a level of military assertiveness not previously seen.
The Liaoning, which was refitted from an unfinished Ukrainian warship, visited Hong Kong back in 2017. A third aircraft carrier, designed with a flat deck instead of the ski-jump style of the first two, is currently undergoing sea trials, while a fourth carrier is already under construction.
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