Today, December 17, marks the sixth anniversary of the Shandong's commissioning into the PLA Navy. As the Chinese mainland's first self-designed and self-built carrier, it has returned to Sanya, Hainan, after completing its final training mission of 2025. 🎉
Over the past six years, the Shandong has led major naval exercises across the waters of the Chinese mainland. In 2025, it took part in:
- Joint Sword-2024B: testing rapid-response tactics 🚀
- Strait Thunder-2025A: a cross-strait exercise highlighting carrier readiness ⚡️
As the year wraps up, the Shandong's return to port not only closes out 2025's intense training but also underscores the Chinese mainland's evolving maritime strength. Stay tuned for what comes next in naval innovation! 🌊
Reference(s):
Aircraft carrier Shandong concludes year's last training mission
cgtn.com
