Lanzhou is the lead ship of the Chinese Type 052C destroyers (NATO code name Luyang II class).

At the beginning of 2007, Lanzhou and Haikou, the first batch of Type 052C destroyer in the South China Sea, conducted a combat confrontation drill.

[2] In late May 2009, Lanzhou, the Type 071 amphibious transport dock Kunlun Shan, Type 903 replenishment ship Qinghai Hu and Chao Hu, and other special mixed formations conducted a 17-day long-distance mobile combat drill in the South China Sea.

[3] On 30 June 2010, Lanzhou and Kunlun Shan departed Zhanjiang, Guangdong to relieve the fifth Escort Task Group for the anti-piracy operations in Gulf of Aden and Somalia; the two ships along with the replenishment ship Weishan Hu formed the sixth task group.

[4] Lanzhou and Kunlun Shan and sailed about 4,600 nautical miles (8,500 km; 5,300 mi) and arrived in the Gulf of Aden on 14 July 2010 via Xisha, Nansha, Singapore, Malacca Strait, and Indian Ocean.