Overview

• The Shandong is accompanied by missile destroyers Zhanjiang and Yanan and the missile frigate Yuncheng, and all tour slots were claimed within minutes on WeChat.
• Cultural exchanges onboard include guided visits of the flight deck and exhibits intended to bolster national pride among Hong Kong residents.
• Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee described the visit as an opportunity for citizens to experience the advancements of China’s modern warships firsthand.
• The port call follows June’s rare dual-carrier exercises with the Liaoning and April’s blockade drills around Taiwan, underscoring expanding regional operations.
• Analysts view the visit as a strategic signal of China’s growing blue-water navy and an assertion of maritime ambitions.