Ancient Chinese warship to be excavated

Chinese archaeologists will soon begin a new round of underwater excavation after an ancient Qing dynasty warship was discovered in the Yellow Sea, media reported on Sunday.

The shipwreck that was code-named "Dandong No 1" has been tentatively identified as the cruiser Zhiyuan of the Beiyang fleet, People's Daily reported.

But Song Jianzhong of the National Centre of Underwater Cultural Heritage said it is still too early to make a final conclusion regarding the ship's origins.

"The relics and information currently in hand indicates it's the wreck of the warship Zhiyuan, but more work needs to be done before the publishing of the final conclusion."

The shipwreck was first discovered in 2013.

In September, over 100 relics were salvaged from the Yellow Sea, including canons, shells, and other artillery.

The most crucial piece of evidence for the ship's identity is a shattered porcelain plate that features the words "Zhiyuan" written on the back.

The Qing dynasty also known as the Manchu dynasty, was the last imperial kingdom of China, which ruled the country from 1644 to 1912.