The Chinese navy could be dated back to the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) about one century ago. However, it was littered with failures along coastlines, because of backward science and technology, political corruption, and declining national strength. In 1884, South China's Fujian Fleet was wholly destroyed by the French counterpart at Majiang, near the provincial capital city Fuzhou. In like manner, in the Sino-Japanese War in 1894 and 1895, North China's Beiyang Fleet was wiped out…. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, foreign warships rampaged through Chinese territorial waters and inland rivers. China's coastal defense was but an empty shell.

On April 23, 1949, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was officially established, manifesting China eventually gained the control of sea. Over the past 60 years, the PLA Navy has grown steadily from the original 3,000 officers and men and 90-odd ships to a vital force of comprehensive modern maritime combat capabilities to defend the state's sovereignty over its territorial waters and safeguard the state's maritime rights and interests. It comprises such arms as the surface force, submarine, naval aviation, coastal defense and Marine Corps.

The PLA Navy safeguards state sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. It promotes China's reform, opening up and modernization drive. It also acts as an envoy to safeguard world peace and promote common development across the world. On November 16, 1985, a PLA Navy fleet made an unprecedented visit to three South Asian countries, marking the Chinese navy headed for the world. Chinese Navy Commander Wu Shengli said, "Over the past two decades, PLA Navy, envoy of peace and friendship, has sent 33 fleets to visit more than 30 countries across the world, including Russia, the United States and Japan."

In December 2008, the PLA Navy sent a three-vessel flotilla to escort Chinese and foreign merchant ships in Somalia waters against pirates. It marks China has the capability to protect national interests and maintain security in the oceans of the world.  

 

1) The missile troops of the PLA Navy passes in review at the Tiananmen Square of Beijing. Six decades ago, the PLA Navy had only two platoons of soldiers at the military parade of the grand ceremony of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Nowadays, the modernized PLA Navy has taken possession of all kinds of missiles, including ship-to-ship, ship-to-air, ship-to-shore, and submarine-to-ship missiles. By James Zeng-Huang / China Features Photo

 

2) PLA Navy soldiers. China Features Photo

 

3) PLA Navy warships go through a maritime training program. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

4) New submarines of PLA Navy have the capacity to launch undersea nuclear missiles. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

5) A missile frigate flotilla of the PLA Navy undergoes a training program of launching electronic jamming bombs. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

6) A new guided-missile destroyer of the PLA Navy launches anti-submarine deep-water rockets in a military exercise. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

7) Main fighters of the PLA Navy air force go on a cruise in flight formation. Over the past six decades, the PLA navy has developed into a defense force of initial modernized combat capabilities. It comprises such arms as the surface force, submarine, naval aviation, coastal defense and Marine Corps. Xinhua Photo

 

8) A member of the PLA Navy Marine Corps. The PLA Navy Marine Corps was founded in 1953 and reorganized in the early 1980s. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

9) Amphibious tanks and armored fighting vehicles of the PLA Navy Marine Corps participate in an amphibious landing field exercise. By Zha Chunming / Xinhua Photo

 

10) PLA Navy Marine Corps undergoes a training program on coordination of infantry and tanks. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

11) Members of the PLA Navy Marine Corps carry on a maritime training program. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

12) A member of the PLA Navy Marine Corps goes through a training program crossing water barriers. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

13) PLA Navy Marine Corps amphibious scouts carry through an airborne training program. Established in the early 1980s, the PLA Navy Marine Corps is a new amphibious combat force comprising the infantry, artillery, scouts, armored force, tank corps, airborne troops, submarine corps, missile troops, and signal corps. By Zha Chunming / Xinhua Photo

 

14) A scout of the PLA Navy chemical defense corps. PLA Navy chemical defense corps has initially cultivated a modern chemical defense armament system and combat capabilities. It is able to rapidly observe, scout and eliminate attacks of nuclear radiation, chemical and biological weapons on important military places, such as wharfs, naval vessels and land-based missile bases. By Li Genxing, Xinhua Photo

 

15) Students of the coxswain class of PLA Naval Submarine College undergo a simulation training to control submarines. Established in 1953, PLA Naval Submarine College has 80 specialties, such as submarine tactical command, technical command, submarine technology and hydrospace rescue. It has trained tens of thousands of technical officers and men for PLA Navy. By Zha Chunming / Xinhua Photo

 

16) A PLA Naval Vessel crosses the Suez Canal. The PLA Navy has sent more than 40 naval vessels in 33 flotilla to visit about 30 countries across the world, as envoy of peace and friendship. By Zha Chunming / Xinhua Photo

 

17) On November 28, 2007, the Shenzhen guided-missile destroyer of the PLA Navy sailed across the Rainbow Bridge of Tokyo in a friendly visit to Japan. It was the first time for PLA naval vessels to visit Japan. By Ye Jia / Xinhua Photo

 

18) On September 23, 2007, the Military Band of the PLA Navy performed at the center of Toulon City, France, in a friendly visit to four European countries with a PLA Navy flotilla. By Song Lidong / Xinhua Photo

 

19) In August 2005, Chinese naval vessels built up a maritime formation in a Sino-Russian joint military exercise. In the 21^st century, the PLA Navy has cooperated with foreign counterparts to launch joint military exercises at increasingly higher frequency and larger scales. Such deeper cooperation has covered growingly wider scopes and richer contents. Chinese and foreign navies have made 37 joint military exercises in the fields of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, defense of the security of land, sea and air channels, anti-terrorism, joint search and humanitarian rescue. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

20) In November 2006, members of the PLA Navy Marine Corps exchanged skills with U.S. counterparts in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province, the first of such activities between Chinese and U.S. navies. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo

 

21) At 11 a.m., January 6, 2009, PLA naval vessels arrived in the Gulf of Aden and Somalia waters and launched the first mission of escorting merchant ships against pirates. Photo shows four Chinese merchant ships sail in a line under the guidance of Wuhan guided-missile destroyer. By Qian Xiaohu / Xinhua Photo

 

22) On April 23, 2009, PLA Navy destroyers and frigates passed in review in east China's Tsingtao sea area. The PLA Navy sponsored a grand maritime parade in the Yellow Sea to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of its establishment. The activity was participated by navies of 29 countries, including the United States and Russia, and 21 naval vessels from 14 countries. By Zha Chunming / Xinhua Photo

 

23) The honor guard of PLA Navy. By Zha Chunming / China Features Photo