BEIJING – China’s first aircraft carrier is headed for its permanent base in the northern port of Qingdao, where it will be responsible for operations in waters surrounding Japan and the Korean Peninsula, reports said Wednesday.
Speculation has swirled over which base the vessel, christened the Liaoning, would call home since it officially entered service Sept. 25 amid a series of maritime disputes between China and its neighbors. Qingdao is home to China’s Northern Fleet, which is responsible for operations in the Yellow Sea, the Sea of Japan and parts of the East China Sea.
The Global Times reported the carrier left its temporary base in the northeastern port of Dalian on Tuesday for the first sea trials of the year following a three-month refitting. It said the ship would formally take up residency in Qingdao, though no arrival date was given.