Decades After Childhood Donation, Chinese Man Gets Aircraft Carrier Visit

Sometimes a childhood belief stays strong enough to shape an entire life. For a man in southern China, a small donation he made as a five-year-old has now come full circle. After giving 140 yuan (Rs 1,747) to support the idea of building an aircraft carrier, he has lived long enough to see his childhood dream of a stronger nation become reality, reported South China Morning Post.

In November, he was invited by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation to visit the country's carrier fleet and was given a commemorative watch.

Chen Youwen, a resident of Qinzhou City, Guangxi Province, had a keen interest in military affairs since childhood. His father was a former soldier, and this ignited his interest in military affairs from an early age. In 1999, at the age of five, he overheard his father and his colleagues discussing donating to build China's first aircraft carrier.

At that time, China did not have a single aircraft carrier. Furthermore, the country was still recovering from the bombing of the Chinese embassy in the former Yugoslavia by NATO aircraft, killing three Chinese journalists. Chen believed that if China had its own aircraft carrier, such incidents could be prevented.

Inspired by this thought, he raised 140 yuan and, with his father's help, sent the money to the PLA General Armaments Department. In that same year, the average monthly income in urban China was approximately 490 yuan (Rs 6,202).

A few months later, Chen received a reply. His donation was returned, along with a greeting card. The card commended his support for national defence and explained that the repayment was mandatory according to regulations. He also wished him a happy new year, a happy new year, and a happy new year.

Over time, Chen's interest in the military field grew stronger. He later visited Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, to see the old Soviet-era aircraft carrier Minsk.

In 2012, China formally commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, into the navy. This 300-meter-long vessel was based on an unfinished Soviet carrier that had been upgraded. Chen expressed his enthusiasm by writing to the military and was also encouraged by phone to continue his studies.

In 2019, China commissioned its first fully indigenously designed aircraft carrier, the Shandong, into service. When Chen's childhood donation story surfaced on social media, it spread rapidly. The media discovered that Chen had studied law and later worked at a government institution in Beijing.

On November 10, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation invited him to tour its group and naval fleet. He will also be presented with a commemorative watch from the Fujian carrier. The Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier, featuring advanced electromagnetic catapult technology.

Chen said he is honoured that his story has reached so many people. He said it has deepened his faith in the country. He also urged people to learn more about national defence technology and China's modern weapons.