A distant view of China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier, which will soon be launched (Photo/Courtesy of Blue Shark Team)
Military enthusiasts excited at news first domestically-built vessel to launch soon
○ Military enthusiasts rushed to Dalian to get a close look at China's first domestically-produced aircraft carrier
○ There has been a debate on the future name of the ship, with Shandong, Hainan and Beijing the most popular choices
○ A third aircraft carrier that's larger and more capable is reportedly under construction in Shanghai
China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier was not launched on Sunday, the anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), as some military fans hoped it would be. But these enthusiasts believe the day is approaching as they discovered that the shipyard where it is being built started to flood the drydock containing the carrier on Sunday.
"Fans captured pictures showing that the water is already touching the hull. Though it was not launched today, it will be in no more than a few days," Chen, 30, a naval enthusiast from Jinhua, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times.
He has been updating his Weibo account - which is called General Commander of the Liaoning and has over 320,000 followers - with news and pictures of the carrier.
"We have dreamed for decades of a domestically-built aircraft carrier. We don't mind waiting for a few more days," said Chen, who is also a moderator of a popular naval discussion forum online.
Many people rushed to the Dalian shipyard in Northeast China's Liaoning Province on Sunday after reading articles suggesting the launching ceremony for the Type 001A would be likely held that day.
Duan, a 20-year-old military fan working in Dalian, is one of them. "If it was launched on Sunday, it would be more meaningful. But it is excusable that it wasn't. Carrier construction is a huge project. Speed is always second to security," he told the Global Times.
Keeping an eye on the carrier has become an integral part of his life since he came to Dalian last year.
"I go to see it once a week. From a rusty hull and being covered with various cranes, vehicles and containers to a cleared deck, it finally started to look like it does today, which was quite exciting," Duan said.
To get a look at the ship, he regularly takes the city's light rail route which passes the shipyard. He gets a view of the ship for about 20 seconds each time.
Song, 16, a local high school student, also went to see the carrier on Sunday. "It's a big day. About 200 people gathered and waited for hours, wishing to witness the launch," he said.
"My family lived near the shipyard when I was in primary school, and I could always view the Varyag, [the Soviet-era carrier purchased from Ukraine, which was refitted and is now in service as the Liaoning] from an overpass," he said. "I'm thrilled we will soon have a domestically-produced one."
Speculation that the ship would be launched on April 23 - the 68th anniversary of the founding of the PLAN - first arose in late March when photos showing that scaffolding had been removed and red undercoat had been painted below the ship's waterline were posted online.
When asked about this at a regular press briefing on March 30, Wu Qian, spokesperson for the country's Ministry of National Defense responded that "it is being outfitted with equipment and the work is progressing smoothly. As for further news, I believe we won't keep the public waiting for too long."
Anti-spy precautions
The fans believe that the Type 001A will hit the water in a few days. The news that China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation Chairman Hu Wenming recently inspected the Dalian shipyard twice in one month made them feel even more certain.
"April 23rd or March 27 in the lunar calendar are not suitable days for launching due to the tides. I reckon that the ship will be tested on the water by the end of the month," Chen told the Global Times. The gravitational forces which contribute to the tides are exceptionally strong during the new moon and full moon [first and 15th day of every lunar month].
Chen established a team called Blue Shark in 2015 and has organized members living in several coastal cities that are in close proximity to PLAN bases to collect the latest news about naval operations. Anything to do with aircraft carriers is always the most eye-catching.
But they have their rules to prevent leaking secrets. "We are very cautious when releasing information," Chen said, explaining that they do not share high-definition pictures or information about core carrier parts, and delete any material which reveals such confidential details.
When the Global Times contacted Chen, he said he would talk only if the reporter first showed him her press card. He said it's their standard procedure when they are approached by strangers so as to guard against their information being used by spies.
