Brits Welcome Chinese Navy Fleet
As the largest Chinese Navy fleet visit Britain began a five-day official visit at Royal Naval Base in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, an ecstatic welcome was given by locals, including hundreds of Chinese origin.
The dock landing ship Changbaishan, the guided missile frigate Yuncheng and the supply ship Chaohu of the 18th Chinese naval escort taskforce arrived in a naval port in Portsmouth, Britain on the morning of January 12, local time, for a good will visit.
The visiting Chinese naval ships were welcomed by more than 800 people including the Chinese Ambassador to UK Liu Xiaoming, representatives of UK-based Chinese, Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese students, as well as the British naval officers and sailors.
The 18th escort task force of the Chinese Navy fleet comprises three ships: the amphibious dock landing ship Chang Bai Shan, the guided missile frigate Yuncheng and the supply ship Chaohu. In addition, there are three helicopters, and the crews consist of nearly 100 special operations members and more than 800 officers and sailors.
The three ships have just fulfilled a four-month-long counter piracy escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
Britain is the first stop on a five-country tour, to be followed by Germany, the Netherlands, France and Greece. The visit to Britain is the first by Chinese Navy ships in seven years and the third one in history.