She was at the time the largest warship in Imperial China with a displacement of 4,300 tons and was armed with two 8-inch (203 mm) guns and a top speed of 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph).

[2] In 1911, Hai Chi visited the United Kingdom to participate in the fleet review held to mark George V's coronation.

In 1933, due to a dispute with the fleet commander over pay and expenses,[citation needed] Hai Chi along with two ships travelled south and joined the Guangdong navy.

In 1935, due to a dispute with the governor of Guangdong province, Hai Chi together with another ship fought its way past a blockade to reach Hong Kong, and eventually to the capital Nanjing, where (as a compromise) they were nominally returned to the Third Fleet, but in reality came under the direct command of the ministry of defence.

[citation needed] The ship was scuttled as a blockship in the Yangtze River on 11 August 1937[6][7] to obstruct the Japanese advance in the Second Sino-Japanese War.