China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy is preparing to open its military facilities to civilian visitors next week, launching a series of public open-house events to commemorate the 77th anniversary of its founding. All three of the PLA Navy’s major fleets — the North Sea Fleet, East Sea Fleet, and South Sea Fleet — have confirmed that they will offer rare public access to active warships across multiple coastal cities, in a move designed to strengthen bonds between the military and the general public and showcase the service’s decades of modernization advancement.
The founding date of the PLA Navy traces back to April 23, 1949, when the force was established in Baimamiao township, Jiangsu province. This historical date was officially designated as the service’s annual anniversary in 1989, making 2026 the 77th year since the navy’s founding.
The North Sea Fleet will host public visits in two northern coastal cities: Qingdao, Shandong province and Dalian, Liaoning province. In Qingdao, events will run from April 22 to 26 across two venues, Qingdao Port and the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center Dock, while open days in Dalian are scheduled for April 25 and 26. A diverse lineup of active naval vessels will be on display for visitors, including the advanced Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, Type 054A guided-missile frigate, and Type 903 integrated supply ship, covering major frontline vessel classes in the PLA Navy’s current fleet.
For the South Sea Fleet, public events will be held from April 23 to 26 across five locations in southern China: Guangzhou and Zhanjiang in Guangdong province, Sanya and Danzhou in Hainan province, and Beihai in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Attendees at these southern venues will have the opportunity to tour guided-missile destroyers and amphibious transport ships.
Covering eastern and southeastern coastal regions, the East Sea Fleet will open its facilities to the public from April 21 to 26 across seven cities: Ningbo, Shanghai, Zhoushan, Taizhou, Nantong, Xiamen, and Shantou.
To manage visitor numbers and ensure a smooth experience, all public spots for the open-house events are allocated through a first-come, first-served reservation system. Interested members of the public can book their visits through officially designated WeChat public accounts and dedicated event websites.
The public outreach initiative marks one of the most extensive nationwide open-house events held by the PLA Navy in recent years, reflecting the service’s growing transparency and its commitment to building public understanding of national maritime defense.