Naval visit instills sense of national pride: China Daily editorial

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier Shandong and accompanying vessels end a five-day visit to Hong Kong on Monday, having given local residents the opportunity to see the domestically built aircraft carrier close up, fostering a strong sense of national pride.

The flotilla, comprising the Shandong and its escort ships, the guided missile destroyers Yan'an and Zhanjiang, and the guided missile frigate Yuncheng, arrived in the special administrative region on Thursday.

On arrival in Victoria Harbor, over 700 naval officers and sailors, dressed in white uniforms, formed the Chinese characters "Guo An Jia Hao", delivering the message "safe country, sound families", expressing the motherland's heartfelt blessings for Hong Kong compatriots.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu delivered a speech extending a warm welcome to the naval visitors on behalf of the HKSAR government and the residents of Hong Kong. Lee said that the steadfast presence of the PLA garrison in Hong Kong and the cordial visit by the modern aircraft carrier group reflect the country's ability and determination to safeguard peace, while allowing Hong Kong, under the framework of "one country, two systems", to continue to play its part in the nation's development.

That Hong Kong was chosen as the first port visit for the Shandong, as it was for the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, which visited Hong Kong in 2017, underscores the central government's commitment to and care for the HKSAR.

Given the visit of the aircraft carrier group coincides with the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, it will have enhanced Hong Kong people's sense of national pride and identity.

The aircraft carrier was opened to the public for the first time on Friday, receiving more than 10,000 visitors that day, with the "open house" visitors able to enjoy interactive activities such as military experience sessions, training demonstrations, and national defense lectures. It offered Hong Kong residents an opportunity to witness the achievements of the PLA in the new era.

Since Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, the future of the SAR is inextricably entwined with that of the motherland. In recent years, Hong Kong experienced a period of chaos before returning to stability thanks to the introduction of a national security law, which all bespeaks the indisputable truth that only with the support of national strength can there be stability and prosperity in Hong Kong.

After the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, which has established institutional guarantees for national security and long-term stability in the SAR, the "Pearl of the Orient" has regained its luster, and confidence in its future prospects has been restored.

It is noteworthy that the Shandong's public debut in Hong Kong came on the heels of far-sea combat-oriented training and exercises with the Liaoning, during which the naval formations of twin aircraft carriers advanced into the Western Pacific and completed a variety of drills under combat conditions in collaboration with relevant military forces.

China's aircraft carriers have become an emblem of national defense strength, lifting the PLA's combat capabilities to a higher level and pushing its deterrence to new heights. The Shandong's first public events in Hong Kong also coincide with the 88th anniversary of the July 7th Incident in 1937, which was recognized as the start of Japan's full-scale invasion of China.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). Events like the Shandong aircraft carrier's visit to Hong Kong serve as a reminder that the central government is determined to safeguard security, stability and prosperity in Hong Kong.

As a country shouldering unshirkable responsibility in safeguarding world peace and stability, China sticks to a defense policy that is defensive in nature. The PLA's quickened modernization is fully justified and necessary as the country now not only embraces wider and greater overseas interests but also faces rising security challenges in its surrounding environment.