[6] It is the country's first domestically built aircraft carrier and second in PLAN service after the completion and commissioning of Liaoning, from which it is derived.

[11] According to the state Xinhua News Agency, manufacture began in November 2013 and laid down the keel for its hull in a dry dock beginning in March 2015.

Satellite imagery for the defense analysis industry showed the aircraft carrier in the early stages of hull assembly by March 2015.

[13] In December 2015, a Chinese defense ministry spokesman confirmed that the ship was an aircraft carrier, stating that the design and construction work was under way.

[20] At the time of its launch, the ship was not expected to be delivered to PLAN until 2020; however, successful early tests put the project ahead of schedule and media reports indicated that it could enter the navy fleet in 2019.

[16] It retains the ski-jump takeoff, which limits its air wing to helicopters and Shenyang J-15 fighter jets of the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force,[15][18] and the ship is powered by conventional oil-fired boilers driving eight steam turbines derived from the Soviet-designed examples installed on Liaoning.

[6][21][3] While sharing a superficial resemblance to Liaoning, the design details of Shandong are drastically changed and display a higher priority on aircraft operations.

[32] The island structure is smaller by 10%, and sponsons are extended in the aft-starboard section, allowing more space for up to eight more aircraft and helicopters.