In January, 1993, China received the notification from Thai government, informing the former's intention to purchase a replenishment ship for its light aircraft carrier fleet. China decided to join the bid, among other western shipbuilders including DCNS, Fincantieri, BAZAN, Hyundai and Dutch Schelde shipyards, and the Chinese design would be very similar to the converted former-Soviet ship, with work on both ships would be performed simultaneously. The original chief designer of the cancelled second generation domestic Chinese replenishment ship, academician Zhang Wende (张文德), who was named as the chief designer and the program manager of the conversion project for the Chinese navy, was also assigned an additional task, as the chief designer of second ship China would be building for export to the Thai navy. China managed to beat its western competitors and won the Thai contract.