‘Mantis shrimp’ nickname for carrier ‘is just young people showing national pride’ says People’s Daily
Other suggested names in online poll for the Type 001A include the ‘Taiwan’ and the name of a fictional monkey king
A nickname comparing China’s latest naval accomplishment with a widely ridiculed sea creature is an example of young people showing national pride, according to state media.
China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, know for now as the Type 001A, was launched last week to much fanfare – but it still doesn’t have a name.
“Mantis shrimp”, “Taiwan” and the name of a fictional monkey king topped an online poll last week as suggested names for the 50,000-tonne carrier, with the sea creature gaining over 1.37 million votes as of Thursday morning.
But at a press conference on April 27, defence ministry spokesman Yang Yujin said the aircraft carrier would not be named “mantis shrimp”, and would only formally be named once it was commissioned into service – most likely in 2020.
Mantis shrimp is a popular seafood in China that is widely ridiculed for its bizarre appearance. The sea creature has even turned up in a popular phrase, “Let’s go, mantis shrimp!”
The mantis shrimp buzz has even spawned a new meme, with the caption: “For the formal name, listen to the party. For the nickname, we’ll just call it mantis shrimp!”
