Chinese destroyer Zhanjiang (1988)

The PLAN began designing a warship armed with guided missiles in 1960 based on the Soviet Neustrashimy, with features from the Kotlin-class destroyer, but the Sino-Soviet split stopped work. Work resumed in 1965[1] with nine ships being ordered.[2][1] Construction started in 1968, with trials beginning in 1971. The ships nominally entered service in the early 1970s, but few were fully operational before 1985; workmanship was poor due to the Cultural Revolution.[1]

Construction of the second batch began in 1977,[3] with the last commissioning in 1991.[4] The second batch may have been ordered due to the Cultural Revolution disrupting development of a successor class.[1] These ships may be designated Type 051D.[3] The PLAN initiated an abortive modernization program for the first batch in 1982. The ships would be reconstructed with British weapons and sensors acquired from British Aerospace. The Falklands War made the prospective upgrades less impressive and cost effective, and the project was cancelled in 1984. A 1986 upgrade project using American power plants, weapons, sensors, and computers was cancelled because of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.[1]

Zhanjiang was launched on 1 August 1988 at the Dalian Shipyard in Liaoning. Commissioned on 30 December 1989.

Reports have been made to call her the last 051 destroyer, Zhanjiang may have been decommissioned or will soon be decommissioned. On 28 August 2020, Zhanjiang was officially retired, and a retirement ceremony was held together with the previous Zhuhai.[5]