A spring breeze swept across the Huangpu River. At the downtown Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, two mighty white ships of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy lay peacefully moored – China’s domestically-built comprehensive replenishment ship PLANS Qiandaohu and the guided-missile frigate PLANS Fuyang.
Thursday (April 23) marks the 77th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy. To celebrate the occasion, the PLA Navy is holding a series of open-ship events in several cities, including Shanghai, with more than 40 active-duty vessels scheduled to welcome public visitors, reported Xinhua News Agency.
Some of the ships are being opened to the public for the first time, while others are docking for the first time in the cities after which they are named, according to Xinhua.
In Shanghai, the open-ship events have been met with an enthusiastic response from local residents. The Global Times learned that just days earlier, once reservations for ship visits were made available to the public, the slots were snapped up within seconds.
On Tuesday morning, Global Times reporters saw PLA naval officers and ratings in crisp white uniforms standing upright and spirited on the ships, becoming a striking sight for many visitors.
PLANS Fuyang is a new-type guided-missile frigate independently designed and built in China. Equipped with advanced area air-defense missiles and long-range anti-ship missiles, the vessel is tasked with anti-submarine warfare, air defense and patrol duties.
To better adapt to and operate the ship’s newly commissioned systems, the crew has put in considerable effort. “We need to learn the new equipment from scratch, covering circuitry, mechanical principles, signal transmission, logic and other aspects,” Huang Cui, a crew member aboard the Fuyang, told the Global Times on the ship. “We have been constantly standardizing and exploring how to operate the equipment with the fewest possible steps, in the most efficient and standardized way, to ensure that no malfunctions occur.”
Moored alongside PLANS Fuyang is PLANS Qiandaohu, a new-type, domestically-built ocean-going comprehensive replenishment ship. The ship is capable of providing integrated logistical support to frontline warships under complex weather and sea conditions across multiple maritime areas. “It plays an important role in enabling destroyer [and frigate] formations to sustain combat capability at sea for longer periods,” said Wang Fuming, a crew member aboard PLANS Qiandaohu.
Since entering service, PLANS Qiandaohu has completed eight escort missions in the Gulf of Aden, and taken part in more than 30 other major missions, including joint military exercises with foreign countries and regions and global port visits.
On the ship, Wang shared with Global Times reporters a memorable moment during an escort mission. After some Chinese fishing boats and merchant vessels safely passed through the Gulf of Aden under the protection of the escort task group, they displayed banners reading: “Thank you to the PLA Navy for escorting us. Wishing our motherland to prosper and thrive.”
“I feel that being able to escort our compatriots overseas is the highest honor. I am deeply proud,” Wang said.
At the terminal, Global Times reporters also saw many people waving national flags and the PLA Navy’s flags as they lined up in an orderly fashion to board the two warships. Those who had already boarded explored the ships with excitement, snapping photos.
On the deck of PLANS Fuyang, young mother Yan Wei crouched down to take a photo of her 4-year-old daughter. Yan told the Global Times that, although the child is still very young, she is already a military enthusiast. “We attended the PLA Navy’s open-ship events last year, and we come again this year,” she said.
On PLANS Qiandaohu, 82-year-old Li Lide slowly made his way onto the deck with the support of his wife. He gently ran his hand along the railing, his eyes filled with affection.
Li worked in ship-related scientific research before retirement. He described himself as a longtime navy fan. Having witnessed the development of the PLA Navy over the past decades, he said he felt deeply gratified and proud. “Standing on this ship, I truly feel how powerful our country has become. I’m very happy,” he told the Global Times.
Meanwhile, beside the gangway of PLANS Qiandaohu, 10-year-old Xin Jinchen tilted her head back and gazed curiously at the massive vessel before her.
Led by her mother, Xin boarded the ship. “I feel really amazed. Our motherland is so great to be able to build such a huge warship,” Xin told the Global Times. “I hope our navy becomes even stronger.”
PLANS Fuyang and PLANS Qiandaohu are scheduled to open to the public from Tuesday to Thursday. From Thursday to Saturday, the guided-missile destroyer PLANS Suzhou and the dock-landing ship PLANS Yimengshan will also be open to visitors at Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, the Global Times learned.
