BEIJING, China (CCTV) — A fleet of Chinese warships led by China’s first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, conducted a training exercise aimed at testing the operational readiness of the naval vessels and the carrier-based fighter jets upon arrival in an unidentified sea area on Thursday.
The drill, which also involved the destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan and the frigate Yantai, focused on examining the fleet’s combat deployment, reconnaissance and early-warning systems, as well as air maneuvers of the ship-borne fighters.
The fleet recently wrapped up a five-day visit to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) being stationed in the HKSAR.
The PLA Hong Kong Garrison has been responsible for the defense of Hong Kong since its return to the motherland in 1997.