A total of 10 residents from Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province got the chance to board a destroyer on July 12.

The guided missile destroyer, named Guangzhou, is part of the South China Sea Fleet of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and is berthed at the Port of Zhanjiang.

A total of 10 Guangzhou residents board the destroyer Guangzhou which is berthed at the Port of Zhanjiang on July 12. [Photo/mod.gov.cn]

Organized by PLA Daily and Guangzhou Daily, the activity allowed the visitors an up-close look at the destroyer, and a chance to learn about its missions and life aboard the vessel.

"The navy has done a good job in strengthening combat preparedness," said Xu Jia, one of the visitors who used to be a soldier. Xu made the remarks after he noticed the sailors busying themselves with battery maintenance while they were visiting the warship.

The domestically-built destroyer has taken part in a range of missions including international joint exercises, and anti-piracy drills and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.

A sailor details the ship's battery to the visitors. [Photo/mod.gov.cn]

Li Liangzhou, a retiree from Guangzhou, said it was his first time to board a warship and he was determined to make the most of the experience by asking the sailors what life is like in the military during peace time. Li said he would share their answers with young people in Guangzhou after returning home.

"The first publication that I bought in my life was a magazine about battleships and I have been interested in the navy since I was a middle school student," said Qi Haonan from South China University of Technology. 

Visitors, journalists and sailors pose for a group photo aboard the destroyer Guangzhou on July 12. [Photo/mod.gov.cn]