China will celebrate the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's 70th anniversary on April 23 off the coast of Qingdao City with an international maritime parade.
Multiple Chinese outlets confirmed the celebration that will commemorate the navy's founding. According to CGTN, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense made the announcement on Thursday's briefing in Beijing.
The 2018 naval parade was China's biggest yet in the South China Sea as 48 vessels and 76 fighter jets joined the parade. The famous Liaoning aircraft carrier was among the performers, along with nuclear submarines. Over 10,000 navy personnel are said to have performed last year.
The upcoming navy anniversary celebration is expected to attract over a dozen navies, including that of the United States. Military experts predict that the 70th anniversary parade at the Yellow Sea will highlight the navy's growing strength and artillery.
Analysts expect this year's celebrations to feature new and improved navy vessels including the Type 001A aircraft carrier, the South China Morning Post reported. The Type 055 vessel is also expected to steal the show as it is dubbed as Asia's most powerful navy destroyer.
Navy expert Li Jie said of the upcoming event, "The fact that China is holding the naval parade just one year after the South China Sea review shows the great importance [the leadership] attaches to the development of China's maritime interests, the navy and its expansion."
During the 2009 60th anniversary of the Chinese navy, fourteen foreign navies provided ships to take part in the parade. The American USS Fitzgerald and Russia's missile cruiser Varyag were showcased in the naval parade. A total of 25 PLA vessels and 31 fighter jets from China took part in the said event.
In this year's parade, a bigger number of foreign navies will appear. Analysts attributed the increased participation of other countries to the PLA navy's international ties that has been growing over the past years. China has also sold more warships to foreign navies, giving the country a firmer presence globally.
China has been adding naval vessels over the past few years, including the Dalian aircraft carrier that was launched in April 26, 2017. The launch was considered a milestone in developing home-grown carriers.
Two months later, a new destroyer weighing 10,000 tons was launched as part of the country's efforts in improving the navy's armament system. It is the first of China's new-generation destroyers that are equipped with anti-submarine weapons and air defense tools.
Finally, a naval auxiliary ship, Hulun Lake, was launched in September 2017, improving the PLA navy's scientific strategies. The Hulun Lake is China's first replenishment oiler and weighs 40,000 tons.
