Initially ordered by the Fujian Fleet, the ship was launched in 1886 and was China's largest torpedo boat at that point.

The Imperial Chinese Navy invested heavily in torpedo boats towards the end of the 19th century, with some 43 listed at the time of the First Sino-Japanese War.

[5] The group engaged the rear of the Japanese fleet, with Fulong firing three torpedoes at the converted merchantman Saikyo Maru, including one which passed under the ship.

Saikyo Maru was carrying the Chief of Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Kabayama Sukenori.

After several hours of battle, with dusk approaching, the Japanese fleet turned their main attention to Pingyuan and her escorts, but as darkness fell, the Japanese withdrew due to the risk of torpedo attack from Fulong and Zuo 1 with no torpedo boats of their own able to act in defence.

[6] At the start of the following year,[7] Fulong under the command of Captain Zai Tingan,[8] was among several ships at Weihai in the Battle of Weihaiwei.

[7] No retaliatory attacks were ordered using the several Chinese torpedo boats in the harbour,[9] and their first involvement in the battle was when they attempted to flee en masse through the Japanese blockade on 7 February.

[9] It remains in doubt whether the Chinese torpedo boats were ordered to flee by Admiral Ding Ruchang, the commanding officer of the ships at Weihaiwei.