The deafening sounds of drums and music filled the air. The warship whistled. The welcome team sent a semaphore message out to sea: “Hello, Tangshan Destroyer! Welcome home!” At about 9 o'clock on April 20th, the Tangshan Destroyer of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) broke through the morning mist and sailed to Shougang Jingtang’s Finished Product Wharf.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of PLAN, in order to further carry forward the glorious tradition of supporting the army, giving preferential treatment to the families of soldiers and martyrs, supporting the government, cherishing the people, responding to the concerns and expectations of society for the development of PLAN, and thanking the people for their concern and support for the naval forces, the Tangshan Destroyer berthed at Shougang Jingtang’s Finished Product Wharf in Caofeidian District, Tangshan City, Hebei Province from April 20th to April 25th. There, it carried out the warship opening and military-civilian joint construction activity “Heroic Tangshan: Warships Grow Together with the City” with Tangshan City to celebrate the birthday of PLAN, and sounded the movement of the era of interdependence between mountains and seas, progress between warships and cities, and unity between the army and the people.

Shougang Jingtang’s Finished Product Wharf, with its “deep pool facing the sea and shoal backed by the land”, is the most convenient access to the sea in Caofeidian Port Area. There is a high-quality coastline of 1,600 meters and eight rolled steel berths which can dock 10,000–50,000-ton ships. Its shipping process and logistics standards have become the “benchmark” and “demonstration” of the industry. In 2023, its throughput exceeded 20 million tons, making it the most convenient rolled steel launching port and steel and iron logistics hub in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region. Relying on location advantages such as a wide port, long coastline and close proximity to the main channel and sea gate, it was the first choice for the Tangshan Destroyer to return “home” for the first time. Based on the new stage of development, century-old Shougang has achieved a leap from “mountain” to “sea”. In the new era, Jingtang blue reflects navy blue. From “cargo ships” to “warships”, military enterprises have endowed Shougang Jingtang’s wharf with great glory and written vivid footnotes on “serving the country with steel and iron” and “four first-class”.

The outline of the Tangshan Destroyer became increasingly clear, like an unshakable fortress on the sea. Shougang Jingtang’s employees were all ready. Zhou Lianhe, an employee of the Port Operation Area of Shougang Jingtang’s Ministry of Transportation, raised the Five-starred Red Flag above his head to provide guidance and positioning for the berthing of the Tangshan Destroyer. “The Tangshan Destroyer was positioned by the Five-starred Red Flag in my hand! I’m extremely excited and proud! My colleagues and I are usually responsible for the pick-up and unloading of cargo ships. Today is the first time we’re serving the destroyer, and we’re sure to be foolproof!”

With the berthing of the Tangshan Destroyer, the people of the welcoming team shifted from seeing it at a distance to looking up at it, and the mighty destroyer was displayed in front of everyone. “I haven't seen my son for a long time and I miss him very much! This destroyer named after Tangshan is the toughest!” Six family members of a destroyer crew waited anxiously, and the sister of the destroyer crew member said, “Although my younger brother can't return home often, our whole family supports him very much. This time, the Tangshan Destroyer has returned to its hometown. We’re all very excited, proud of our hometown and proud of my younger brother defending our country!”

Go on! Go on! Go on! The high-pitched PLA military song sounded at the Shougang Jingtang’s Finished Product Wharf! “Tangshan Destroyer returns home!” Li Yao, deputy to the Hebei Provincial People's Congress, Vice Chairman of the Tangshan Youth Federation and Secretary of Kantian Village, Panggezhuang Township, Leting County, boarded the Tangshan Destroyer with tears in his eyes. “I’m a retired ‘military secretary’ from Li Dazhao's hometown. As a Tangshan native, I’m very proud to board the Tangshan Destroyer. Today, I caught a close-up glimpse of the style of the destroyer, and the passion of loving my country, army and family arose spontaneously. I deeply feel that the strength of the motherland embodies the majestic power of military-civilian joint construction. The destroyer has returned home, and I will contribute to the country to make it stronger. This trip to board the destroyer has made me more motivated to better build my hometown and lead the people to become rich!”

The slogan on the Tangshan Destroyer is “Four Years of Service, Remembering the Mandate, Drilling Hard in the Ocean, Returning to Hometown for the First Time to Report Growth and Store New Energy in the Soil”. This shows the heroic spirit of the officers and men in overcoming obstacles, and their ambition to set sail out on the ocean again. The opening event organized by the Tangshan Destroyer demonstrated the achievements of the modernization of naval destroyers. During the opening period, the public could board the destroyer and have zero-distance contact with the ship, communicate face-to-face with the naval officers and men, and also experience displays of characteristic subjects such as semaphore flags, knots and anti-virus and fireproof clothing.

In the meantime, Tangshan City invited the crew of the Tangshan Destroyer to visit places such as the Li Dazhao Memorial Hall, Kailuan National Mine Park and Robot Exhibition Center, enabling these officers and men who “regard the sea as their home and have become guests on land” all year round to gain a deeper understanding of Tangshan’s red culture, industrial civilization, urban construction, high-quality development achievements, etc. In addition, the officers and men of the Tangshan Destroyer will enter campuses to carry out national defense education activities and nursing homes to carry out activities to care for the elderly.

The relevant person in charge said, “The Tangshan Destroyer is berthed in Tangshan City for the first time, which helps the public to understand the navy and provides them with a vivid marine national defense education class. At the same time, it is of great significance to enhance the public's national defense awareness of ‘safeguarding maritime rights and interests, and building a maritime power’”.

Shougang Group has a glorious tradition of supporting the military and giving priority to their family members, and has made important contributions to national defense construction. In order to welcome the berthing of the Tangshan Destroyer this time, Shougang Jingtang made the overall arrangements, strengthened communication and coordination, adjusted the logistics route of the wharf in a targeted manner and made every effort to ensure water and electricity guarantees. At the same time, it strengthened safety production, resource balance and control measures for visiting vehicles entering the factory, and ensured overall stability during the event.