Hong Kong crowds welcome aircraft carrier Shandong as city leader hails visit
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu inspected a guard of honour on the deck of the 70,000-tonne carrier, accompanied by two senior naval officers, and was given a tour of the ship in the late afternoon. He attended a welcoming ceremony in the morning where he stressed that the visit demonstrated 'rock-solid' national security.
During the inspection, Lee was accompanied by Lieutenant General Jia Jiancheng, deputy commander and chief of staff of the Southern Theatre Command, and Lieutenant General Cheng Jian, deputy political commissar of the PLA Navy.
'We witnessed the heroic figure of the navy up close, experienced first-hand the grandeur and advancement of the country's modern military vessels, felt the military's professional excellence, perseverance and selfless dedication,' Lee later wrote in a social media post.
'This also fully demonstrated the demeanour of the Chinese People's Liberation Army as a 'mighty and civilised force'.'
02:21
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong arrives in Hong Kong for 5-day visit
Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong arrives in Hong Kong for 5-day visit
The warship was escorted by the missile destroyers Yanan and Zhanjiang, and the missile frigate Yuncheng, with the carrier hosting a series of open tours and cultural exchange activities in the city until Monday.
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