Pride of PLA Navy to make port call in Hong Kong
Analysts say visit to mark handover anniversary next month is aimed at boosting patriotism and is a rare chance for Beijing to show its military muscle
The People’s Liberation Army is to make its most visible appearance in Hong Kong in 20 years, marking the handover anniversary with an unprecedented port call by its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, sources told the South China Morning Post.
It will sail to the city for the first time early next month, following a visit by Xi Jinping – his first trip to the city since he became president in 2013.
Although US warships and aircraft carriers often berth in Hong Kong’s open waters, it’s extremely unusual for the PLA navy to make such a symbolic show. Mainlanders have yet to be given the chance to explore the Liaoning, a refitted former Soviet carrier that Beijing bought from a Ukraine shipyard in 1998.
Analysts say the port call will be an attempt to encourage patriotism while displaying the PLA’s military muscle at a time of renewed tensions in the South China Sea.
“Allowing Hong Kong people to see how the Chinese military has developed is a way to boost patriotism,”military expert Zhou Chenming said. “The Liaoning carrier is a calling card for China’s military, and visiting Hong Kong is a rare chance to show its strength and to show confidence to the outside world,” Zhou said.
