HONG KONG: China’s sole operational aircraft carrier arrived in Hong Kong for the first time Friday in a display of military might less than a week after a high-profile visit by president Xi Jinping. The aircraft carrier sailed through the East Lamma Channel, passing by residential buildings located on the south coast of Hong Kong island, and was berthed near the Tsing Yi region. Enthusiasm for the aircraft carrier was high with people queueing overnight at the PLA garrison in central Hong Kong for public tour tickets earlier this week. But ticket-holders are banned from bringing cameras when they board the aircraft carrier on Saturday, reports said, while foreign media outlets have not been invited to cover the event. China launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier in April, though it is not expected to enter service until around 2020 once it has been fully equipped and armed.

Source: Manila Times July 07, 2017 04:07 UTC