Teenage students enjoy guided tour of aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong

China

Teenage students enjoy guided tour of aircraft carrier Shandong in Hong Kong

2025-07-04 22:27 Last Updated At：23:07

China's aircraft carrier Shandong, currently on a visit to Hong Kong, invited a group of teenage students aboard for a guided tour and an exchange event on Friday.

Named after Shandong Province, the aircraft carrier is China's second aircraft carrier following the Liaoning, and the country's first domestically built aircraft carrier.

Many students said the tour filled them with excitement and pride.

"I'm very proud, because I saw its gigantic size when I stepped on the deck, and the weapons on display are highly advanced," a student said.

"I feel very proud and honored because this is an aircraft carrier independently built by our country," said another student.

"Our country has very powerful military equipment, from which I can feel the strength of our country," said another student.

The Shandong and its three escort ships arrived in Hong Kong for a five-day visit on Thursday.

"For this visit, our fleet has planned a series of open tour events and cultural exchange activities, mainly to show our compatriots in Hong Kong our country's achievements in national defense and military development, particularly the navy's development, to reinforce their sense of identity and sense of pride as members of the Chinese nation," said Colonel Lu Lun on the aircraft carrier.

Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland in 1997, vessels of the People's Liberation Army Navy have paid eight visits to the city in various forms. The first visit occurred in 2002, while the two most recent took place in 2024.

This is the second visit of an aircraft carrier fleet to Hong Kong, with the first taking place in July 2017 led by the Liaoning.

The Shandong's escort ships are the Type 055 10,000 ton-class guided-missile destroyer Yan'an, the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Zhanjiang and Type 054A guided-missile frigate Yuncheng. All three ships are fully domestically developed by China.

Iran swears to counterattack if attacked

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Sunday that Tehran would view the United States and Israel's military bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" should Washington take military action against Iran.

At a parliamentary session convened to review an emergency proposal on assembly regulations, Qalibaf emphasized that, at this highly sensitive juncture, Iran must accurately and thoroughly identify the schemes of its adversaries.

Qalibaf said that Iran is currently confronting Israel and the United States simultaneously on four fronts: economic, cognitive, military, and counterterrorism. Of them, the economic warfare and the cognitive and psychological warfare began many years ago and have persisted to this day, growing increasingly complex and intense in recent years.

The remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran, taking advantage of its nationwide unrest.

Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship. Iranian authorities have acknowledged the demonstrations and voiced willingness to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism.

Amid the ongoing protests, deadly clashes have been reported lately between police and what the government described as "rioters." However, no official death toll has been released.

Also on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will address the country's economic situation and political environment in a televised interview later that day.