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| Sunday, November 11, 2001, updated at 20:58(GMT+8) |
PLA Navy Fleet Makes First Portcall to Hong Kong |
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The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy task group, composed of guided missile destroyer Shenzhen and multi-purpose replenishment ship Fengcang, arrived in Hong Kong Saturday morning for a three-day portcall. This is the first portcall by the PLA navy fleet to Hong Kong since the PLA stationed troops in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on July 1, 1997.
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Chinese Flotilla Arrives in Hong Kong
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy task group, composed of guided missile destroyer Shenzhen and multi-purpose replenishment ship Fengcang, arrived in Hong Kong Saturday morning for a three-day portcall.
This is the first portcall by the PLA navy fleet to Hong Kong since the PLA stationed troops in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on July 1, 1997. The PLA navy task group is the way back to China after completing a cruise to four European countries -- Germany, UK, French and Italy.
At 10 o'clock in the morning, a ceremony to welcome the PLA navy fleet was held at the Stonecutters Naval Base, when the guided missile destroyer Shenzhen was berthing at the anchorage.
Tung Chee Hwa, chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR, attended the ceremony.
Chinese Flotilla Arrives in Hong Kong
Shi Yunsheng, commander of the PLA Navy, made a special trip to Hong Kong to welcome the fleet, and accompanied the chief executive to inspect the officers and soldiers on board of destroyer Shenzhen.
Shi Yunsheng congratulated the PLA navy task group on its accomplishment of the cruise to Europe and welcomed the officers and soldiers on board back home. Tung Chee Hwa extended welcome to the PLA navy fleet for its portcall to Hong Kong on behalf of the Hong Kong SAR government and the more than 6 million Hong Kong citizens.
Wu Fuchun, commander of the PLA navy task group, gave a briefing on the fleet to Tung Chee Hwa and accompanying officials. This was followed by an inspection tour of the facilities on board of Shenzhen, where more than 500 officers and soldiers of the navy fleet stood still in high spirit to receive the inspection.
Those who attended the ceremony to welcome the PLA navy fleet were also Jiang Enzhu, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR; Xiong Ziren, commander of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison; and Wang Yufa, political commissar of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison, as well as some officials from the Hong Kong SAR government.
The PLA navy task group departed Shanghai for Europe on August 23, this year and covered 23,000 nautical miles in 80 days. The PLA navy's European cruise marks the first visit to Europe by warships designed and made by China.
Guided missile destroyer Shenzhen will be open on Sunday afternoon and next Monday morning to members of the public who have earlier obtained tickets.
The PLA navy fleet will leave Hong Kong next Tuesday.
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