Chinese and Four European Navies Hold Joint Exercises in the Mediterranean Sea

China's naval vessels wrap up four-nation goodwill visit

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-25 16:11:18 Print

TOULON, France, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) --

Two Chinese naval vessels sailed out of port on Tuesday after wrapping up an 87-day four-nation European tour and were heading for the Mediterranean for a joint naval exercise with France while on their way back home.

The guided missile destroyer Guangzhou and the supply ship Weishanhu left the southern French port city Tuesday morning after traveling more than 23,000 nautical miles, calling at Russia's St. Petersburg, Britain's Portsmouth, Spain's Cadiz and France's Toulon.

The two ships, under the command of Major General Su Zhiqian, deputy commander of the South China Sea Fleet of the Chinese Navy, will then participate in a joint naval exercise with the French navy, code-named "China-France Friendship 2007," in the Mediterranean Sea.

Exchanges and cooperation between the two navies have entered anew stage through the Chinese warships' four-day visit to Toulon, during which members of the naval top brass exchanged visits, and reciprocal ship tours, sports contests, military music performances and reception parties were held.

China, France conduct joint naval exercise in Mediterranean

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-25 23:47:54 Print

Chinese naval vessels and French naval vessels take part in a joint exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, Sept. 25, 2007. The Chinese naval vessel formation of guided-missile destroyer "Guangzhou" and its supply ship "Weishanhu" attended the joint exercise with the French Navy, code-named "China-France Friendship 2007," in the Mediterranean Sea Tuesday, on the Chinese vessels' way back home after their 87-day four-nation European tour. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Toulon, France, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Naval forces of China and France conducted a joint military exercise in the Mediterranean Sea on Tuesday.

The "China-France Friendship 2007" drill in the Mediterranean Sea off the southern French port city of Toulon was the first of its kind between the two navies in the Mediterranean.

The five-phase exercise focused on joint search and rescue operations. It aimed to improve cooperation between the two navies to improve their ability to cope with unconventional security threats.

The exercise was conducted shortly after two Chinese naval vessels, the guided missile destroyer Guangzhou and supply ship Weishanhu, wrapped up an 87-day European tour that took them to Russia, Britain, Spain and France.

Major General Su Zhiqian, deputy commander of the South China Sea Fleet of the Chinese Navy and commander of the two Chinese naval vessels, said after the exercise that the goodwill visit and the military exercise had helped deepen the military exchange and cooperation between the two countries, explored ways to jointly respond to unconventional security threats and boosted their capability to deal with a security crises.

On Tuesday morning the two Chinese vessels sailed out of Toulon, the last stop on a voyage of 23,000 nautical miles on which they also called at Russia's St. Petersburg, Britain's Portsmouth, and Spain's Cadiz.

After the exercise, the two Chinese vessels were to return home.

Chinese, Spanish navies conduct first joint military exercise in Atlantic

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-18 22:24:43 Print

ABOARD DESTROYER GUANGZHOU, Atlantic, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) --

Chinese and Spanish naval vessels Tuesday conducted their first ever joint military exercise in the Atlantic Ocean.

Chinese guided-missile destroyer Guangzhou along with Spanish frigate Reina Sofia and a patrol ship participated in the search and rescue exercise dubbed "China-Spanish Friendship-2007."

Taking place near Spain's southern port city of Cadiz, the operation was also the Chinese Navy's first joint exercise with the Spanish Navy in Spanish waters.

Spain is the third leg of the 87-day voyage of the Chinese destroyer and its supply ship Weishanhu that has already taken them to St. Petersburg, Russia, and Portsmouth, Britain, and will also take them to Toulon, France.

The navies of China and Spain began exchanges of friendly visits in the 1980s. In March 2003, Spanish naval training vessel Juan Sebastian De Elcano paid a five-day visit to the Chinese port city of Shanghai.

China, UK navy hold joint exercise

www.chinaview.cn 2007-09-12 13:05:20 Print

BEIJING, Sept. 12 -- Chinese Navy ships have held a joint exercise with the British Navy.

A ceremony was held when Chinese ships the missle destroyer "Guangzhou" and the supply ship "Weishanhu," along with the British Navy's aircraft carrier "Ark Royal," sailed from Portsmouth in Atlantic waters. The drill focused on communications and maritime search and rescue.

This is the first time the Chinese Navy has held a drill with a foreign aircraft carrier. The maneuver lasted about 40 minutes, before the two sides bid their farewells at sea.

(Source: CCTV)

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