Chinese Navy's amphibious assault ship "Sichuan" completes first sea trial

China's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, People's Liberation Army Navy Ship (PLANS) Sichuan, completed its first navigation test mission and returned to the wharf of Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in east China's Shanghai on Sunday.

The PLANS Sichuan has a full-load displacement of over 40,000 tons and features a dual-island superstructure along with a full-length flight deck, making it easy to identify it.

Being a new-generation amphibious assault ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, the vessel incorporates innovative electromagnetic catapult and arrestor technologies, enabling it to carry fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and amphibious equipment.

The three-day sea trial tested and verified reliability and stability of the ship's power, electrical and other systems, achieving expected results. The indigenously developed vessel was put into the water in December 2024 at a launch and naming ceremony. It was given the hull number 51.

The sea trial started in Shanghai on Friday. Subsequent tests will be carried out gradually according to the overall equipment construction plan.

Two white-tailed sea eagles, a first-class nationally protected species, have been recorded for the first time at the Aral National Wetland Park in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The footage, captured by local photographers, shows the powerful raptors feeding on the frozen wetland and sometimes taking flight.

Their arrival highlights the improving wetland ecosystem and a more complete food chain.

Located in southern Xinjiang, the wetland has a mild winter climate with little snowfall, attracting tens of thousands of migratory birds, such as mallards and ruddy shelducks, to overwinter every year.