HONG KONG, July 7. /TASS/. A Chinese naval task force consisting of the Shandong aircraft carrier, the Yan'an and Zhanjiang destroyers, and the Zhanjiang frigate has left Hong Kong after becoming a major highlight during its five-day visit to the megapolis, a TASS correspondent reported.
When departing the city, the aircraft carrier and the Yan'an destroyer sailed through a strait along Lamma Island, while the Zhanjiang and Zhanjiang frigate passed through Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong’s main waterway.
Military helicopters accompanied the departing ships. Hundreds of spectators gathered along the city’s waterfront to see them off. "I couldn’t visit any of the ships, even though I tried. There were too many people eager to go and too few tickets available. Still, I came here to watch them leave – it’s an incredible sight," one spectator, a student from City University of Hong Kong, told TASS.
The Chinese Navy aircraft carrier group spent five days in the megapolis, becoming its most popular exhibition. Only 10,000 tickets were issued for ship tours, with 2,000 allocated for the Shandong and the remainder for the destroyers and frigate. All tickets sold out within minutes.
As demand far exceeded the number of available tickets, local tourist operators organized boat and water taxi trips around the aircraft carrier, giving the public a chance to view and photograph the warships from a distance. Representatives of Hong Kong’s tourism sector noted that interest in such trips remained high. According to tour providers, these naval visits not only boost patriotic spirit but also attract visitors from Hong Kong and mainland China.
The Shandong and its escort ships arrived in the city on July 3 as part of celebrations marking the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China. It was the first visit by a Chinese Navy aircraft carrier to the territory in eight years. The Liaoning previously visited Hong Kong in 2017.
After nearly 150 years of British colonial rule, Hong Kong was returned to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997, under the "one country - two systems" principle. Since then, the major financial hub has functioned as China’s special administrative region, retaining autonomy in all matters except defense and foreign policy for 50 years, until 2047.