The crew members of China's aircraft carrier Shandong recently conducted their first damage control exercise of 2025, while the ship docked at a port in Hainan Province after completing its last sea training mission in 2024.
As soon as the exercise began, all crew members rushed to relevant positions according to deployment. Then the on-deck damage control commander ordered fire trucks, demolition support teams and combat teams to go forward to deal with emergency situations.
During the exercise, a fire emergency scenario was simulated under the flight deck. The damage control team members responsible for the relevant areas cooperated closely to lay water hoses, conduct cabin reconnaissance, report situations, and establish fire prevention zonings.
The exercise also included the urgent on-site rescue of the injured, in which the medical rescue team on standby established a rapid rescue channel and transferred the "injured" to the medical support unit on the ship.
Crew members said the exercise marks a good start for the new year's goal of further improving training levels.
"This training exercise has random plots with complex special situations, which is closer to actual combat. In the exercise just now, the damage control team members closely cooperated and handled the situation in an orderly manner. In the future, we will continue to enrich the special situation links of various exercises, and sharpen the command ability of commanders and the handling ability of damage control team members in repeated exercises to ensure the safety of the aircraft carrier," said Zhou Chao, a crew member of the aircraft carrier.
"In the new year, we will focus on improving combat effectiveness, boost morale, conduct training as planned, and ready ourselves for war. With a new spirit, we will push the training to a higher level in the new year," said Xiao Chuanyu, another crew member.
First damage control exercise of 2025 conducted on aircraft carrier Shandong
As part of the Ministry of Commerce's "Shopping in China" campaign, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region Consumer Season, together with the 2026 National Consumption Promotion Month initiative, kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Monday evening, highlighting coordinated efforts to boost regional consumption.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, China Media Group and the governments of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, the event aims to showcase the region's commercial strengths and distinctive consumer offerings.
The launch ceremony featured a wide array of products from across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, including intangible cultural heritage items, local specialties, time-honored brands, and emerging consumer labels.
Organizers also unveiled the first list of specialty souvenirs from the regions and released a bilingual Shopping in China · Consumption Guide for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, covering shopping, dining, tourism, and exhibitions and performances to foster the region as a global shopping hub.
This year's consumer season underscores regional coordination, rolling out ten joint initiatives such as AI-plus experiences and premium shopping routes. The campaign is designed to develop a year-round, integrated consumption brand spanning commerce, culture, tourism, and sports.
"By linking signature events, we aim to create year-round highlights that showcase Tianjin's unique charm and consumption vitality," said He Xiaoyang, Director of the Consumption Promotion Division at the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce.
The regional initiative coordinates with the earlier announcement of the Ministry of Commerce to continue building the “Shopping in China” brand, improve trade-in programs for consumer goods, advance new consumption models and scenarios, and enhance the international consumer environment.
By expanding premium consumer goods supply and leveraging first-launch, green, healthy, and smart consumption models, the initiative explores ways to achieve coordinated consumption growth in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, a major trade and industrial powerhouse in northern China.
Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei co-host regional initiative to promote consumption
