PLA Navy Destroyer Taiyuan heads for Japan to participate in international fleet review

ZHOUSHAN, Oct. 8 -- On Monday morning, the guided-missile destroyer Taiyuan (Hull 131) attached to a destroyer detachment of the Navy under the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command set sail from a military port in Zhoushan for Japan to participate in the international fleet review at the invitation of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

Every three to four years the JMSDF will hold an international fleet review and this year the PLA Navy will make its debut in this event, which will be held in the waters of Sagami Bay in Tokyo in mid-October. In addition to the JMSDF, more than 10 ships from the US, the UK, India, Australia, Canada, Singapore and other navies will participate in the event.

During the event, representatives onboard Taiyuan will conduct courtesy exchanges with peers from the JMSDF and navies of other countries. Besides, officers and soldiers onboard Taiyuan will host military and cultural exchanges such as open day activities, deck reception and sports competitions, in order to further enhance mutual understanding, promote traditional Chinese culture, and spread peace and friendship.

Gong Yuanxin, deputy commander of the naval destroyer detachment under the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command, said that the staff goes abroad on behalf of the PLA Navy as the nation celebrates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. All service members will display high spirit, excellent military skills, and good image of the PLA sailors, and demonstrate the great achievements of the PLA naval modernization.

The homegrown naval vessel Taiyuan (Hull 131) is a new type of guided-missile destroyer with a full displacement of more than 6,000 tons, which got commissioned and named in December 2018.