PLA Navy to mark 77th anniversary with open-house events

The People's Liberation Army Navy will host open-house events next week to mark its 77th founding anniversary, allowing members of the public to board its ships for guided tours.

The North Sea Fleet, South Sea Fleet and East Sea Fleet have all announced opportunities for the public to visit their warships in multiple coastal cities, aiming to enhance civil-military relations and display the modernization progress of the PLA Navy.

The North Sea Fleet will host open activities in Qingdao, Shandong province and Dalian, Liaoning province. In Qingdao, the events will run from April 22 to 26 at Qingdao Port and Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center Dock. In Dalian, the open activities will be held on April 25 and 26.

Warships on display will include multiple classes such as the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, Type 054A guided-missile frigate and Type 903 integrated supply ship.

The South Sea Fleet will host the public in Guangzhou and Zhanjiang in Guangdong province, Sanya and Danzhou in Hainan province, and Beihai in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, from April 23 to 26, where visitors can tour guided-missile destroyers and amphibious transport ships.

The East Sea Fleet will hold open events in Ningbo, Shanghai, Zhoushan, Taizhou, Nantong, Xiamen and Shantou from April 21 to 26.

Reservations are available through designated WeChat accounts and websites on a first-come, first-served basis.

The PLA Navy was founded on April 23, 1949, in Baimamiao township, Jiangsu province. In 1989, April 23 was officially designated as the day the Navy was founded.