| Northern Theater Command Navy | |
|---|---|
 The People's Liberation Army Navy jack and ensign | |
| Active | 1950–Present |
| Country |  People's Republic of China |
| Allegiance |  Chinese Communist Party |
| Branch |  People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Type | Naval fleet |
| Part of | Northern Theater Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Qingdao, Shandong, China |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Vice Admiral Hu Zhongming |
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The North Sea Fleet (NSF; 北海舰队), concurrently the Northern Theater Command Navy (北部战区海军), is one of the three fleets of the Chinese Communist Party's People's Liberation Army Navy. Headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, the fleet provides naval forces to the Northern Theater Command.
In September 1950, the Qingdao Army Base was redesignated as a naval base. Following the departure of the Soviet Navy from Lüshunkou (Port Arthur), the North Sea Fleet was established in 1960 with naval bases in Qingdao and Lüshunkou.[citation needed]
The fleet currently includes China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, as well as nuclear-powered attack and missile submarines.[citation needed]
The North Sea Fleet was historically the most capable of the Navy's three fleets, being the first in China to operate destroyers, shore-based missiles and nuclear submarines. In recent years however, the shift in strengthening of importance and strategic capabilities of the East and South Sea Fleets are more prioritised.[1]
