The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned its second conventional aircraft carrier, and the first to be built indigenously, at Sanya-Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island on 17 December. Chairman Xi Jinping attended the ceremony welcoming CV17 Shandong into China’s navy.
The name and hull number of the 50,000t carrier were in line with expectations. This makes China just the fourth country to operate multiple carriers.
Xi presented a flag and naming certificate to the new carrier’s commanding officer Snr Capt Lai Yijun and its political commissar Snr Capt Pang Jianhong. Lai was formerly a frigate commander.
The type designation
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