A world-class force

Seventy years ago, in the early days of the People's Liberation Army Navy, the service used small, antiquated gunboats and even wooden boats that were ineffective in combat.

The Navy is now one of the world's major maritime forces and uses a variety of advanced military hardware, some of it is the best of its kind.

The service's growing prowess is illustrated by the rapid development of its aircraft carrier group and the deployment of new, powerful warships.