President Hu heads to sea off Qingdao for fleet parade, review

Chinese President Hu Jintao left Qingdao aboard a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy destroyer Thursday noon for an international fleet review.

President Hu, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, was accompanied by PLA Navy Commander Admiral Wu Shengli and others.

The PLA fleet parade schedule later in the afternoon would display 25 naval vessels and 31 aircraft of the PLA Navy, including at least one of the country's nuclear submarines, as part of a celebration to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy.

An international fleet review involving 21 foreign vessels from 14 countries will be held after the PLA naval parade.