China's first domestically built aircraft carrier visits Hong Kong in show of power

Accompanied by a destroyer and a frigate, the warships will be open to the public over the weekend, with all 10,000 available tickets already claimed.

China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, the Shandong, docked in Hong Kong on Thursday as part of Beijing's campaign to boost patriotism, just days after the territory marked the 28th anniversary of its handover from British to Chinese sovereignty.Escorted by a vessel from its strike group, the Shandong entered Hong Kong waters in the early hours of the morning, accompanied by two destroyers and a frigate, according to Chinese state media. The warships will be open to public visits over the weekend.Local media reported that residents had already bought all 10,000 tickets for the public tours. Of those, 2,000 were allocated for visits aboard the Shandong, with the remainder for the accompanying destroyer and frigate.The visit comes as Beijing intensifies efforts to foster national pride in Hong Kong, particularly following the widespread anti-government protests in 2019. Since then, many pro-democracy activists have been imprisoned under sweeping national security legislation.Although Hong Kong retains some semi-autonomous status and enjoys civil liberties not found in mainland Chinese cities, its military and foreign affairs remain under the control of Beijing. The People’s Liberation Army maintains a land, sea and air garrison in the city.The Shandong is China’s second aircraft carrier and the first to be entirely constructed domestically. It is smaller than its US counterparts, displacing 70,000 tonnes fully loaded and carrying 24 Shenyang J-10 fighter jets.In April, the carrier was dispatched for exercises in the eastern maritime and airspace surrounding Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as its own. A month later, the Shandong and China’s first carrier, the Liaoning, carried out joint drills in the Pacific, beyond the so-called first island chain, in a show of increasing naval ambition.The Liaoning, a vessel purchased from Ukraine and refurbished, last visited Hong Kong in 2017. A third carrier with a flat-deck design is currently undergoing sea trials, while a fourth is under construction.