The upcoming aircraft carrier fleet visit to Hong Kong from July 3 to 7 will highlight the growing strength of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy.
Approved by the Central Military Commission, a naval fleet led by Shandong, China's first domestically designed and built aircraft carrier, will visit Hong Kong from July 3 to 7. The fleet, which also includes Type 055 destroyer Yan'an, Type 052D destroyer Zhanjiang, and Type 054A frigate Yuncheng, reflects the cutting-edge capabilities of the modern PLA Navy.
The Shandong, hull number 17, is China's first domestically designed, built, and equipped conventionally powered aircraft carrier. Commissioned into the PLA Navy on Dec. 17, 2019, in Sanya, Hainan Province, its induction marked China's entry into the "dual aircraft carrier" era. Since then, Shandong has played a key role in extending naval capabilities from nearshore to open ocean and has pushed forward combat-readiness training in various large-scale exercises.
Known as a "10,000-ton class destroyer" due to its displacement, the Yan'an, hull number 106, features advanced stealth, long endurance, high automation, and strong all-around combat capabilities. Named after the Chinese revolutionary base Yan'an, this "red warship" has completed more than 20 major training missions and has been awarded a collective third-class merit citation.
As a key combat ship of the PLA Navy, the Zhanjiang, hull number 165, possesses strong stealth features, powerful early warning systems, and prominent integrated combat capabilities. In 2023, it participated in both the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition and the Komodo-2023 multinational naval exercises. It also opened to the public visit during the 2024 National Day celebrations.
Over the past 16 years, the Yuncheng, hull number 571, has set multiple records in realistic combat training, completed numerous joint missions, and participated in major international exercises. Yuncheng has been deployed three times to escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters and has visited more than 20 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, sailing across three oceans. The ship has been awarded one collective second-class merit and two third-class merits.
Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997, vessels of the PLA Navy have paid eight visits to the city in various forms. The first visit occurred in 2001, while the two most recent took place in 2024.
Powerful fleet showcases modernization of Chinese Navy
Foreign diplomats and scholars are looking closely at this year's "two sessions", saying China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will not only chart the nation's economic and technological priorities but also reshape global value chains.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, opened on Wednesday, followed by the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday. Together known as the "two sessions," these meetings offer a comprehensive view into China's development priorities.
Global observers emphasized that the 15th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint guiding the nation's economic, social, and technological priorities over the next five years, marks a decisive shift toward high‑quality growth anchored in advanced technologies, with ripple effects across the world.
"The two sessions will discuss China's five-year plan, which is heavily oriented toward China's major technological development. I believe this is important because it represents the new blueprint for China's economy, which is now oriented toward the renowned high-quality development, and this will undoubtedly impact the entire world. I think it is worth studying. This is very important for Latin America. It will help us integrate more intelligently into global value chains and into all aspects of the major development that China is promoting in iconic industrial sectors, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space development, where Latin America also has much to contribute beyond just commercial growth," said Gustavo Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine Ambassador to China.
"The two sessions are a major political milestone in China, and this year's gathering carries even greater significance as this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan represents not only a blueprint for China, but also a guide for other countries. Instruments like the five-year plan effectively provide greater certainty and predictability for the rest of the world," said Chilean scholar of international relations Ignacio Araya Heredia.
"This is a particularly important date, especially due to the fact that the next Five-Year Plan shall be positioned and we're going to see what its main elements shall be. Serbia, which has a very high degree of steel friendship with the People's Republic of China, can expect further assistance in identifying the most prominent areas of Serbian economy and being helped by its great partner, such as it has been done in the previous period, from one part with establishing the main infrastructure projects, but also reshaping the industrial sector of Serbia, not just Serbia, but the region as a whole," said Veljko Mijuskovic, assistant professor of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Belgrade.
Beyond the policy framework, experts also pointed to China's achievements in green energy and technological innovation as models worth emulating.
Tomasz Bielinski, adjunct professor at the University of Gdansk's Faculty of Economics, said the robotics displays at the 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala reflected China's broader push in technological innovation.
"I was really impressed about the robotics. I'm very impressed with Chinese development in the technological field, we can still make great deals with Chinese businessmen and we can cooperate together to use this technology for both the good of China and the European Union. I'm aware of the innovation especially in autonomous drive on the on the Chinese side," he said.
"We hope for more of China's economic cooperation, especially in trade and also in investment. Also, and the other focus, if I talk about the focus of the development, don't forget about the green energy. We know that China is great in the electric vehicle field. So because China's electric vehicles in Indonesia nowadays, since couple of years ago, are very, very popular," said Al Busyra Basnur, president of the Indonesia-China Friendship Association.
Observers see China's new five-year plan driving high-quality development, global tech shifts
