The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy presented over 30 active duty warships during its 76th founding anniversary on April 23.
One of the highlights was the first public appearance of the Type 075 landing helicopter dock amphibious assault ship “Hainan,” which displaces around 35,000 tons and measures 780 feet (237 meters) long — one of its largest naval ships.
Among those included in the line-up were the Type 071 “Yimengshan” amphibious transport dock, Type 052C “Xi’an,” and Type 052D “Nanjing” guided missile destroyers. Also featured were the Type 054A “Linyi” guided missile frigate, Type 056A “Lu’an” guided missile corvette, and the Type 903A “Kekexilihu” 20,000-ton supply ship.
They have participated in Gulf of Aden missions, official port visits, and joint military exercises, Global Times reported.
In addition, the navy allowed public access to several military ports and bases, enabling them to view aircraft such as the KJ-500H airborne early warning and control aircraft, J-11B multi-role fighter, Z-9D military helicopter, and the Y-9 military transport.
Open ship days and other events as part of the celebration take place over several days in about ten coastal cities from Qinhuangdao in the north, Shanghai in the east, and Guangzhou in the south.
Chinese Naval Strength
China has the most naval vessels worldwide and is projected to reach a fleet of 425 ships by 2030, surpassing the US Navy’s less than 300 battle force ships, as reported by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Using its “military-civil fusion” strategy, Beijing has fast-tracked the development and launch of military ships.
According to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, the country has built three aircraft carriers in a little over 10 years.
These include the refitted Soviet-made “Liaoning” that entered service in 2012, and the country’s first domestically made aircraft carrier named the “Shandong,” with both having participated in South China Sea drills and sailed near Taiwan in October 2024.
“Fujian,” the third aircraft carrier, is the first to be equipped with an electromagnetic catapult launch system. It was launched in 2022 and has completed seven sea trials.
As for its Type 075 amphibious assault ships, Hainan entered service in 2021, followed by the “Guangxi” later in the same year and the “Anhui” in 2022.
Moreover, the East Asian giant launched its over 40,000-ton Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the “Sichuan,” in December 2024, followed by the commissioning of its first Type 054B guided-missile frigate, the “Luohe,” in January 2025.
