Sailors salute Thursday at a naming ceremony for the destroyer Zhengzhou, newly commissioned to the East China Sea fleet, in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang Province. Photo: Xinhua

A destroyer was commissioned to the East China Sea fleet of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Thursday.

The Zhengzhou belongs to the new generation of Chinese-made guided missile destroyers. Equipped with Chinese-made "new weapons," it is designed for long-distance surveillance and regional air defense.

The ship is 155 meters long and 17 meters wide. It displaces more than 6,000 tons.

Li Yigang, captain of the Zhengzhou, said officers and soldiers aboard the destroyer are familiar with steering the equipment and have passed all the required tests needed to steer the ship.

At the naming ceremony of the Zhengzhou on Thursday, Wang Chunyang, the political comissar of Zhengzhou, vowed that all the soldiers and officers of the destroyer will do their best to protect the country's maritime rights.

The Zhengzhou is the second 052C destroyer in the East China Sea fleet after the Changchun joined the fleet in January. 

The warship is the fourth 052C-level Chinese-made guided missile destroyer, a series which includes the Lanzhou, the Haikou and the Changchun.

Both the Lanzhou and the Haikou belong to China's South China Sea fleet.

The 052C series of destroyers represents a breakthrough for China's navy since they are equipped with vertical launching system and phased array radars, and thus will strengthen China's air defense capabilities.

Xinhua - Global Times