Hong Kong residents waved goodbye to the country's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, on Tuesday after it concluded a five-day goodwill visit marking the 20th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army being stationed in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The Liaoning departed from Hong Kong at 10:30 am after a farewell ceremony. It left via the East Lamma Channel, the same route it took on arrival, as it is too big to sail into Victoria Harbour.

The three vessels that accompanied the Liaoning - guided-missile frigate Yantai and guided-missile destroyers Jinan and Yinchuan - sailed across Victoria Harbour to salute the people of Hong Kong once more before leaving the SAR's waters.