A welcoming ceremony will be held at 10 am at the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks — the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison's naval base on Stonecutters Island — where Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will deliver a speech.

The fleet's five-day stay in Hong Kong — which includes exclusive public tours — came on the heels of the July 1 celebrations marking the 28th anniversary of the city's return to the motherland.

The timing also aligns with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, blending military display with anti-war themes.

Shandong's arrival has been greeted with enthusiasm on social media, as Hong Kong residents eagerly shared tips on prime viewing locations to watch the carrier group's passage through the scenic East Lamma Channel — the waterway separating Hong Kong Island from Lamma Island — before its final docking.