China's aircraft carrier finishes ninth sea trial   

中国航母平台第九次海试返回 航海25天历时最长

30日8时20分，中国航母平台完成长达25天的第九次航海试验，返回大连造船新厂码头，这是历次海试中时间最长的一次。

Dalian (CNS) -- China's first aircraft carrier completed its ninth trial sailing and returned to the port of Dalian at 08:20 am July 30. The 25-day journey was the longest of all its sailings.

The aircraft carrier platform berthed smoothly with the help of five tugboats, taking less than twenty minutes. The crew stepped onto the dock to the welcoming sound of firecrackers.

The aircraft carrier conducted its first five-day open water trial in August 2011, and gradually extended the length of time to fifteen days.

The aircraft carrier has met all expected performance results on trials conducted throughout the past year, said National Defense spokesman Yang Yujun at a ministry press conference on July 26, and related departments will perform follow-up technical tests and experiments,