Shandong aircraft carrier leaves Hong Kong after visit showcasing ‘military power’

The visit of China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier is both a lesson in patriotic education for Hong Kong and a chance for the country to showcase its military might, an official and a political analyst have said, as the vessel departed from the city’s waters.

Hundreds flocked to waterfront vantage points in Hong Kong on Monday to catch a final glimpse of the Shandong aircraft carrier and its fleet as they concluded their five-day port call.

The city’s No 2 official hailed the role of the much-awaited visit in boosting residents’ national pride, while a veteran political observer said it could also be seen as a “warning” to Western countries against taking any “risks” in the waters around China.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the port call, which was part of the celebrations marking the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, had demonstrated the country’s care and staunch support for the city.

“[It] gives Hong Kong residents a precious opportunity to see with their own eyes the country’s first independently designed, built and equipped aircraft carrier, and to feel the strength of the country’s military power and progress of its scientific development up close, enhancing our national confidence and pride,” Chan said.

The senior official also said the visits, exchanges and seminars held during the fleet’s five-day visit to the city provided a lesson in patriotic education for Hongkongers – particularly the youth – deepening their understanding of the country’s national defence infrastructure.