Description

Yuchi Naval Base is a naval base used by the

People’s Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN; ), also known as the People's Navy, Chinese Navy, or PLA Navy, is the maritime service branch of the People's Liberation Army. The PLAN traces its lineage to naval units fighting during the Chines ...

(PLAN). According to a number of media reports and open source

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...

observation (

Google Earth Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D computer graphics, 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposition, superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and geog ...

) it is the home base of the first PLAN aircraft carrier ''Liaoning''; along with a number of escort and support vessels. The base is protected by several breakwaters and has deep draught access. There are four mooring piers of over 1000 metres in length and fifth measuring approximately 820 metres in length. The harbour area is divided into two main areas with the carrier battle group occupying the eastern part of the harbour.

Location

The base is located within the West Coast New Area south of the major urban area of

Qingdao Qingdao (, also spelled Tsingtao; , Mandarin: ) is a major city in eastern Shandong Province. The city's name in Chinese characters literally means " azure island". Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, it is a major nodal city of the One Belt ...

on the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...

, in

Shandong Province Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizatio ...

. Open source satellite imagery (Google Earth) confirmed the base is extensive and underwent considerable expansion beginning in early 2012. The base is subordinate to the PLAN's

North Sea Fleet The Northern Theater Command Navy (), or the North Sea Fleet (NSF; ) is one of the three fleets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, under the Northern Theater Command. In September 1950 the Qingdao Army Base was redesignated as a naval ...

Strategic importance

This base is one of the biggest bases operated by the PLAN and is home to one of its two operational aircraft carrier battle groups. As the PLAN continues to develop its at sea capabilities the carrier battle group bases will be of strategic importance for China as a capability to project maritime power beyond the Yellow Sea.

References

Buildings and structures in Shandong People's Liberation Army Navy bases North Sea Fleet {{China-mil-stub