The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was built abroad in 1985, so the Shandong offers commanders a significantly modernized carrier. The natively built ship promises to be a major source of national pride. The vessel’s construction has taken place in Dalian, a city approximately nine hours’ drive from Beijing.

When China increases military investment, a significant portion of new spending tends to be allocated toward expanding China’s maritime presence. The PLAN has “really been the beneficiary of a lot of this new spending in the past 15 years,” according to expert Richard Bitzinger, a fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.