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April 25 (UPI) -- China put its first nuclear-powered submarine on display, a decommissioned warship built in 1970, to mark the 68th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy. The Type 091 Han Class Changzheng-1 submarine was unveiled to the general public at the Qingdao Naval Museum in Shandong Province, Hong Kong's Phoenix Television reported.
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China became one of five countries to retain a nuclear-powered submarine when it commissioned the Changzheng.
Plans for the submarine began in 1958, and the 100-meter long Changzheng with a displacement of 5,000 tons was launched in December 1970, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
The Changzheng, which refers to the historical "Long March" of the Chinese Communists during a period of civil war, began to be officially deployed in 1974 but was decommissioned in October 2013.
The PLA's Navy Submarine Force operates a fleet of more than 60 submarines.
The television network aired footage of the submarine's torpedo, command and engine rooms.
Chinese state media has been showcasing the country's naval forces on the occasion of its anniversary.
On Sunday, China News Service reported a fleet was launched to tour more than 20 countries.
China is also ready to launch its second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, also known as the Type 001A.
The new vessel is bigger than the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier.
