Nov 16, 1985

Two ships from the East Sea Fleet — CNS Hefei, a destroyer, and CNS X615, a supply ship — set sail from Shanghai under the command of Nie Kuiju, commander of the East Sea Fleet, for the Navy's first overseas visit, which features three stops: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Feb 18, 1986

CNS Changzheng 3, a Type 09I nuclear-powered attack submarine, completes a 90-day self-sustaining test at sea, setting a world record for the lengthiest voyage by a submarine.

May 16, 1987

The Navy dispatches a fleet of large ships to patrol the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea for the first time.