PLA Navy Celebrates 77th Anniversary with Ships Open to Public; Enhanced Naval Capabilities Add Fresh Footnote to Mission of Peace: Expert
By Liang Rui, Guo Yuandan and Huang Lanlan
Apr 23, 2026 11:06 PM
Visitors attend the ship open-day event of the Northern Theater Command Navy in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, on April 22, to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy. Photo: VCG
At a naval port in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, the Type 081 mine countermeasures ship Qingzhou opened to the public for the first time, drawing steady streams of curious visitors eager for a rare, up-close look at the vessel.
The open day forms part of nationwide celebrations marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy on Thursday. Naval bases across more than 10 cities have opened their gates, with over 40 active-duty vessels welcoming visitors—making it the largest and most diverse lineup in the history of such events, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Beyond the docks, the commemorations have unfolded on a grand scale, featuring open barracks, military band performances, solemn ceremonies honoring naval heroes, and flag-raising events.
In recent years, the PLA Navy has held open-day events on multiple occasions, with the types, scale, and influence of these events steadily expanding. Vessel open-day activities have become an important window for the public to learn about the PLA Navy and an effective means of promoting maritime awareness, said Xinhua.
In addition to a series of on-site events, the PLA Navy released 18 posters on social media on Thursday showcasing its equipment and the spirit of its personnel to celebrate the anniversary.
A large number of netizens left blessings in the comment sections. One comment read: "Looking back at the 77 years since the founding of the PLA Navy, it has been 77 magnificent years: years of striving for maritime strength, years of growing from nothing into a formidable force, and years of venturing into blue waters." Another said: "The PLA Navy guards the peace of the nation with loyalty. Happy birthday, and may your journey be vast and mighty."
Assets on display
This year's Navy open-day events unfolded in a vibrant, celebratory atmosphere, drawing enthusiastic crowds across multiple locations. Global Times reporters observed visitors eagerly boarding warships, engaging in interactive exhibits, and gaining an up-close look at the capabilities of the PLA Navy.
"We are essentially a team of maritime engineers," said Hong Jinyu, an officer of the ship Qingzhou. Naval mines - low-cost, easy to deploy, and difficult to clear - remain a critical threat in modern naval warfare, and mine countermeasures ships exist specifically to counter them.
The open-ship events have been met with an enthusiastic response in Shanghai. The Global Times learned that just days earlier, once reservations for ship visits were made available to the public, the slots were snapped up within seconds. Reporters noticed veterans in wheelchairs accompanied by their families, children holding hands with their parents, and middle-aged visitors who joked they had skipped work just to be there.
In Shanghai, the vessel on display was the Fuyang, a new-type guided-missile frigate independently designed and built in China. Moored alongside the Fuyang is the Qiandaohu, a new-type, domestically-built ocean-going comprehensive replenishment ship. The ship is capable of providing integrated logistical support to frontline warships under complex weather and sea conditions across multiple maritime areas.
These are just a small fraction of what was on display. According to Xinhua, a variety of active combat ships are open to visitors, including guided-missile destroyers, as well as guided-missile frigates, minesweepers, missile boats and amphibious landing ships. Additionally, auxiliary vessels, including comprehensive supply ships, ocean-going navigation training ships and hospital ships are also accessible to the public.
According to Xinhua, visitors from Taiwan island boarded the active-duty ships Urumqi and Weifang in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on Thursday. They learned about the vessels' weapons and equipment, as well as the daily work and life of the crew members onboard.
In Qingdao, six vessels - the Urumqi, Weifang, Qiqihar, Wuhu, Dongpinghu, and Yangchenghu - were moored at dock with full dressing. Qingdao also had the largest number of warships opened to the public of any city during this event. In Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province, the Nanning, Kunlunshan, and Wulungu were presented at a naval port. As evening lights came on, the warships displayed full lighting, reflecting the city's neon lights in a harmonious display.
Many of the participating ships have carried out major missions such as escort missions in the Gulf of Aden, overseas visits and joint exercises, reported Xinhua.
In addition to the ship open days, the PLA Navy also organized open house events at multiple naval ports and barracks. Civilians visited Navy military airfields in cities including Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, where they got an up-close look at active-duty main combat aircraft such as the KJ-500H airborne early warning and control aircraft, the Y-8 and Y-9 transport aircraft, and the Z-9D helicopter, Xinhua said.
Toward deeper blue
Last year marked an explosive expansion in the PLA Navy's overall combat assets, Wang Yunfei, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday.
The country's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, equipped with electromagnetic catapults, was officially commissioned on November 5, 2025, marking China's official entry into an era with three aircraft carriers.
In September 2025, the LY-1 shipborne laser weapon made its first public appearance at the V-Day military parade on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
At the military parade, the YJ-18C cruise missile, which has long-range precision strike capability, also made its debut.
Beyond equipment and technology development, extensive large-scale exercises activities were also conducted last year.
Starting from December 29, 2025, the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted joint military drills code-named "Justice Mission 2025" in the Taiwan Straits and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of Taiwan Island, focusing on subjects of sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain.
In terms of far-sea operations, in June 2025, the aircraft carrier battle groups of the Liaoning and Shandong conducted training in the Western Pacific and other maritime areas, testing the troops' far-sea defense and joint operation capabilities.
In the past year, the PLA Navy steadily advanced its long-range combat readiness patrol capabilities while maintaining mature medium- and short-range capabilities. This positions the Navy to execute both major combat missions and experimental tasks, and represents a significant step in its ongoing shift from medium- and short-range offshore defense toward open-ocean defense, Wang said.
Wang said that further developments and changes are expected this year, including the possible emergence of new equipment in areas such as unmanned combat forces and underwater warfare capabilities. At the same time, the coming year is likely to be critical for major platforms to achieve operational capability. For instance, previous reports from CCTV News have suggested that the Fujian could conduct far-sea training in 2026.
On Wednesday, China's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, headed to the South China Sea for routine cross-regional trials and training.
The PLA Navy has always adhered to a defensive national defense policy. Its development is not directed against any country, but rather aims to better fulfill international responsibilities and obligations, and to contribute to the maintenance of world peace and regional stability, said Chinese military affairs expert Zhang Junshe.
