Morale and the mission

Cheng Haixia is a second class petty officer aboard the CNS Liaoning. He is also morale officer, so in his free time, the 40-year-old veteran regularly checks the ship's internal message board to help solve the problems new recruits often experience.

"It's a great honor to serve on China's first aircraft carrier, and I would do it even if they didn't pay me. Not everyone feels the same way, of course, so it's up to me to help them," he said.

Last year, his wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and although her surgery was successful, she will be on medication for the rest of her life. However, Cheng rarely mentioned his family's ordeal to his shipmates.