China commissions new Type 055 destroyer

BEIJING -- The Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Lhasa has been commissioned to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, a spokesperson said Thursday at a press conference.

Having completed construction and sea trials, the destroyer with hull number 102 was commissioned on March 2, according to Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense.

The ship is a 10,000-tonne class destroyer independently developed by China, Ren said, noting that it represents a milestone in the PLA Navy's strategic transformation and development.

It will help the PLA Navy better perform its sacred missions of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests and upholding world peace, stability and prosperity, Ren added.