Sawt Falasteen - Chinese carrier Shandong moors in Hong Kong on 'great power' visit

The Shandong, measuring more than 300 metres (1,000 feet) and commissioned in 2019, is China's second carrier and is central to its regional ambitions under President Xi Jinping, who has overseen a massive naval buildup that has rattled Asian neighbours.

Beijing has said the Shandong and its escort vessels, which include the destroyers Zhanjiang and Yanan and the frigate Yuncheng, will visit the Chinese finance hub for five days and host "tours and cultural exchange activities".

The Shandong's visit came days after it concluded combat drills in the western Pacific alongside China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

It anchored at the western edge of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour while the escorts berthed at the People's Liberation Army naval base on Stonecutters Island on the northern side of the famous waterway.

City leader John Lee said at a welcoming ceremony that the visit would let the public "experience the magnificence and sophistication of the country's modern warships".

The PLA navy "not only protects national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, but is also an important force for regional peace and stability," Lee said.

The Shandong and the Liaoning are both of a modified Soviet design, with J-15 fighter jets and helicopters seen on the Shandong's distinctive "ski jump" deck on Thursday.

China's third and more advanced carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing sea trials.

Tickets to visit the vessels in Hong Kong were snapped up within minutes on social media app WeChat.

- 'Great power' -

Crowds flocked to the waterfront and nearby hillsides on Thursday morning to catch a glimpse of the vessels.

City officials set up a restricted flying zone over parts of the harbour and temporarily reduced ferry services.

The Shandong is the second Chinese aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong, following a 2017 visit by the Liaoning.

"The idea appears to be to impress upon the Hong Kong public... the ruling (Chinese Communist Party's) quest for building what's termed as the status of a maritime great power," said Collin Koh, a naval affairs specialist at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

China has rapidly upgraded its naval forces as it seeks to expand its reach in the Pacific and challenge a US-led alliance.

The US Department of Defense said in a December report that China numerically has the largest navy in the world, with a battle force of more than 370 ships and submarines.

Japanese authorities said China's dual-carrier exercise in the Pacific last month was the first of its kind and reflected Beijing's intentions to improve operational capabilities in distant areas.

Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore said China's latest exercises suggest "both aircraft carriers are ready to engage in more sophisticated operations" but some unknowns remain, including the operational tempo they can bear.

The Shandong was reportedly present in Philippine waters in April during a joint US-Philippines military exercise, deepening tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea.

In that same month, the vessel also took part in drills testing the Chinese navy's ability to "blockade" Taiwan, according to the Eastern Theater Command.

China insists that the self-ruled democracy is part of its territory and has refused to rule out seizing the island by force.

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST