Special Report:  China Marks 60th Anniversary of Navy

 

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) waves to the navy vessels which are being reviewed while aboard the destroyer Shijiazhuang in waters off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 23, 2009. A parade displayed 25 naval vessels and 31 aircrafts of the PLA Navy, including two nuclear submarines, as part of a celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy.(Xinhua/Wang Jianmin) Photo Gallery>>>

A naval parade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy warships is held in waters off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 23, 2009. The parade displayed 25 naval vessels and 31 aircraft of the PLA Navy, including two nuclear submarines, as part of a celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming) Photo Gallery>>>

A naval parade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships and aircraft is held in waters off China's port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Photo Gallery>>>

  Photos: Naval parade of PLA |Aircrafts|Submarine

    QINGDAO, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao, aboard the Chinese Navy destroyer Shijiazhuang, reviewed Thursday afternoon warships and aircraft in a landmark naval parade off the coast of Qingdao marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

    Hu, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, was accompanied by PLA Navy Commander Admiral Wu Shengli aboard the destroyer Shijiazhuang.

A naval warship is seen during a naval parade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships and aircraft in waters off China's port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 23, 2009.(Xinhua/Li Gang) Photo Gallery>>>

    The parade will display 25 naval vessels and 31 aircraft of the PLA Navy, including two nuclear submarines, as part of a celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy.

    Four submarines came first in the parade. Two are nuclear-powered, the Long March 6 and the Long March 3, and two are conventionally-powered, the Great Wall 218 and the Great Wall 177. This is the first public appearance of the PLA nuclear submarines.

Military aircrafts are seen during a naval parade of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships and aircraft in waters off China's port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Photo Gallery>>>

    The submarines were followed by five missile destroyers, the Shenyang, the Lanzhou, the Guangzhou, the Harbin and the Dalian.

    Then came the aircraft formations include an electronic reconnaissance aircraft, a warning aircraft, a fighter-bomber formation, a fighter formation, an anti-submarine helicopter formation, and an ambulance helicopter formation.

    Six frigates also joined the parade. They were the Zhoushan, the Xuzhou, the Luoyang, the Mianyang, the Wuhu and the Cangzhou, which were followed by the landing ship LSD-998 Kunlunshan.

    An international fleet inspection involving 21 foreign vessels from 14 countries will be held after the PLA naval parade.

A nuclear submarine of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy is seen during a naval parade of the PLA Navy warships and aircraft in waters off China's port city of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 23, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Photo Gallery>>>