The Nanchang was making its first public appearance.

The last Chinese ship to sail in front of Xi was the CNS Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier. It has been in service with the Navy for nearly seven years and has fulfilled several long-range patrol operations and live-fire exercises.

Xi reviewed the parade from aboard the Xining, also a modern warship and the first Type 052D guided missile destroyer in the North Sea Fleet. It is capable of conducting air defense, anti-ship, anti-submarine and land attack operations. Its class was the most powerful warship in the PLA Navy before the Type 055.

Following the PLA Navy units were 18 ships from 13 foreign navies including those from Russia, India and Australia. They sailed in sequence according to their role in naval operations and their displacement.

The PLA Navy was founded on April 23, 1949, in Baimamiao township, Jiangsu province. In 1989, April 23 was designated as the day the Navy was founded.

To celebrate its 70th birthday, the PLA Navy made plans for a host of multinational naval activities with the naval parade as the climax. Other events such as high-level symposiums and public tours of ships will be held on Wednesday and Thursday.

Naval delegations from more than 60 countries are taking part.