The launch ceremony marked the completion of the main construction, as the assault ship was moved out of the dry dock and placed on the outfitting quay for remaining work.
The new ship has not yet been officially christened, and there is no information on its completion date. Chinese authorities tend to keep details of achievements in military equipment secret until official announcements are made.
To date, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) operates three assault ships of this class. The lead ship, the Hainan, is part of the South Sea Fleet. The first and second series ships, the Guangxi and Anhui, are in service with the East Sea Fleet.
Previous reports suggested that China would limit the series to three Type 075 all-purpose assault ships, but the addition of the fourth vessel suggests the possibility of additional units in the future.
The amphibious helicopter assault ships were developed entirely by Chinese designers. In terms of size, the assault ships are comparable to American counterparts such as the Tarawa, Wasp and America classes.
According to available information from Chinese sources, the length of Type 075 ships ranges from 235 to 250 meters with a total displacement of 36,000 tons. By comparison, American helicopter assault ships of the same class are 254 to 257 meters in length and have a total displacement of 40,000 to 46,000 tons.
The commissioning of the new ship, which will increase the PLAN's combat power, comes amid renewed escalation of tensions in the South China Sea over maritime disputes between Vietnam and China. The US has accused both countries of violating the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), but singled out China as the major threat to other regional players.
In an effort to counter so-called "Chinese influence" the US has engaged Vietnam through trade and military deals, including a visit by a US aircraft carrier. That prompted Beijing, in turn, to accuse Washington of stoking tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
All recent US actions, including saling drone ships near Chinese waters and increasing military spending, are just another facet of the Pentagon's "Pacific Deterrence Initiative" which aims to continue encircling China with US military bases and offensive weapons platforms.
With the US showing "extraordinary interest" in the South China Sea by deploying warships close to Chinese borders and stoking tensions between China and other regional players by asserting the importance of “keeping the region open to global trade,” Beijing is naturally forced to increase military spending and further improve its naval defense capabilities.