Residents and tourists gathered at China Merchant Wharf in Western on Friday to get a view of the People's Liberation Army Navy's assault ship the Hainan. The vessel, along with the Changsha destroyer which was docked at Stonecutters Island, arrived in the city on Thursday morning for a five-day visit. One of the spectators told RTHK he was stunned by the Hainan's size. “I’ve got time, and the ships are here, so I just came to see the country’s strengths. I think the country being strong can help balance the world,” Chan said. A tourist from Guangdong said she decided to visit the city after hearing news about the two vessels. “These ships are great. They don’t come here often, and this time it is staying for five days, so I came to Hong Kong just to see the ship. Just looking at the ship is enough,” she said. A series of activities will be held during the ships’ stay, including tours, cultural exchanges and talks on national defence. Chief Executive John Lee said earlier that people will be able to understand the nation’s achievements in defence and military modernisation if they join the activities.
