Military enthusiasts have gathered on both sides of Victoria Harbour to bid farewell to two People’s Liberation Army naval ships at the end of their four-day port call in Hong Kong as part of the National Day celebrations.
Some fans, many of them from mainland China, arrived as early as 7am at the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront to secure a good spot to view training vessel Qi Jiguang and amphibious assault ship Yimeng Shan as they departed on Friday.
As the ships passed through the harbour, there was a flurry of excitement as people swarmed forward to catch a glimpse of the vessels. The ships blared their horns, prompting cheers and waves from the onlookers.
Gan Hanyun, a 50-year-old military hardware enthusiast from Shenzhen, said he left home at 6am so he could see the ships.
“I am very excited and very emotional,” he said. “I want to capture both of the ships as they leave, as it is very rare for us to see them, and we don’t know when they will be back.”
Having photographed the two ships as they entered Hong Kong on Tuesday, Gan came better prepared with more camera equipment after his earlier experience.
“I didn’t get a perfect shot the last time. This time, I want to get a better picture of the Qi Jiguang,” he said. “The ship was much bigger than I expected; it was completely out of my frame.”
Joseph Gao, 41, who used to serve in the PLA Navy, was also at the harbourfront to catch a view of the vessels.
“I think it is very stunning to see these two ships in Victoria Harbour, as this is a very important place for Hong Kong. If I had to make a comparison, it would be like Tiananmen Square in Beijing,” he said.
“For an item of national importance to appear in a place like this, it is really worth recording that moment.”
Gao, who is from Yunnan, said he had photographed the ships as they entered Hong Kong on Tuesday. He stayed in Shenzhen between that day and Friday due to Hong Kong’s high hotel prices.
He said it was a rare opportunity for people to witness the vessels in person, and since there were no concerns about military secrets at such a public occasion, it was worth travelling to the city to see the ships.
The navy veteran said he hoped the central government would send the Fujian, China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, to the city for a similar public display in the future.
Xu Liuliu, a military enthusiast from Shenzhen, arrived at the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront at 7am to secure a good viewing spot.
“It is extremely worth it for me to do this. It would be worth it even if I had to stay up all night,” she said. “I feel very happy as I can see the strength and prosperity of the country.”
She added that she would return to view any military hardware the central government sent to Hong Kong in the future.
The two naval vessels arrived on Tuesday and were opened up to 11,000 residents during a free two-day open house event at the ships’ base at Stonecutters Island.
After leaving the city, the ships will next visit Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
