For the second time in two months, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has captured the hearts of Hong Kong residents, with free tickets to tour two of its vessels during the National Day holiday being snapped up within seconds of their release over the weekend.

The public’s enthusiastic response mirrored the patriotic excitement generated by the visit of the aircraft carrier CNS Shandong in July. This time, the chance to step aboard the homegrown training vessel Qi Jiguang and landing ship Yimengshan proved equally irresistible. A total of 11,000 tickets, released in batches through the PLA Hong Kong Garrison’s official WeChat account, were claimed almost instantly.

The two ships will make a stop in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, docking at Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base, where they will be open to the public on Wednesday (the National Day) and Thursday, offering a rare, up-close look at China’s growing naval prowess.

The ticket release became an event in itself, with residents employing strategy and determination to secure a spot. For families like Li Qiuying’s, the vessels represent more than military hardware; they are living monuments to national pride.

“This will be our first time on a warship,” said the 31-year-old mother, noting her young son’s fascination with the military since watching the V-Day parade on Sept 3. Determined to give him a personal lesson in national history, Li and her husband meticulously prepared. They pre-filled their information and, as the 10 am booking window neared on Saturday, switched from Wi-Fi to cellular data to avoid any last-minute hitches. Their planning paid off with two coveted tickets.

“I look forward to hearing what my son has to say after seeing it all up close,” Li said.

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For others, the success was a moment of delayed satisfaction. Xi Bin, a 32-year-old e-commerce worker, missed the chance to board the Shandong in July, though seeing it from afar filled him with pride. This time, his approach was tactical: refreshing the page minutes before the tickets went live.

His fascination is personal, nurtured by stories from his uncle, who served for 16 years in the PLA Air Force. “He spoke of advanced aircraft, which made me even more curious,” Xi recalled. That childhood curiosity has now matured into profound pride. “I’m most moved by our researchers’ sheer determination to bridge the gap with the West in such a short time,” he said.

The visiting ships are significant both for their modern capabilities and their historical namesakes.

The Qi Jiguang, commissioned in 2017, is a 163-meter-long training vessel with a full displacement of 9,000 metric tons.

The Yimengshan entered service a year earlier than its companion. With a displacement of about 19,000 metric tons, it is a multi-role vessel capable of combat, disaster relief, and medical assistance.

Their names pay tribute to pivotal chapters in Chinese history. Qi Jiguang was a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) general renowned for defeating Japanese pirates, while the Yimeng Mountains in Shandong province served as a crucial base during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

This symbolism was not lost on ticket-winners. Jason Li, 25, who set alarms to secure tickets for himself and his sister, said the namesakes are timeless symbols of national resilience. “We must carry their spirit forward, adhere to peaceful development and work for national rejuvenation,” he said.

Zhu Huilian, a Chinese mainland student at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University who secured a ticket after two days of trying, views the event as a unique opportunity to observe China’s state-of-the-art weaponry. “This advanced hardware serves as a powerful deterrent, ensuring our safety and helping to safeguard world peace,” she said.

The visit includes a special preview for selected students on Tuesday afternoon, part of Hong Kong’s ongoing drive to boost patriotism and a sense of national identity among the youth.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the ships’ stop in Hong Kong is part of a scheduled far-sea training mission that will also include port calls in Cambodia, Thailand, and Singapore. The fleet carries some 1,200 PLA soldiers and naval academy students, who will undergo practical training in ship handling, oceanography, and meteorology during the voyage.

Contact the writer at lilei@chinadailyhk.com