The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Naval missile destroyer "Shenzhen" arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday morning for a four-day visit.
"Shenzhen", the destroyer, with 345 officers and soldiers onboard headed by Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, vice chief of staff of the South China Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy, entered into the Tokyo Bay earlier in the morning and was led to the port by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF)'s frigate "Thunder".
The 9:55 a.m. port call at Harumi wharf, which is close to central Tokyo, is the first of its kind in the history of PLA's navy.
The Japanese side organized a warm welcoming ceremony at the wharf for the arrival of "Shenzhen," with several hundreds of Japan-based Chinese taking part in.
The warship visit is a significant and memorable event, which opened a new page in the history of Japan-China defense exchange and military communications, said Eiji Yoshikawa, chief of staff of the Japanese MSDF. He believed that the landmark port call will boost bilateral friendship and strengthen mutual trust.
Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cui Tiankai said the naval ship brings to the Japanese MSDF the sincere friendship of their Chinese "colleagues." "The visit is set to inject new vigor and impetus into the development of bilateral ties," Cui said at the ceremony.
Rear Admiral Xiao said that coming with the ship are not only 345 officers and crew members, but also the amity of 1.3 billion Chinese people and the desire for peace and harmony.
"We believe that the port call will push forward the military and civilian exchanges and promote the Sino-Japanese friendly ties. We hope the sea between China and Japan could be changed into a sea of peace and friendship," he said.
During the visit through Dec. 1, while Chinese naval officials will be meeting with Japanese officials from the defense ministry and SDF, Chinese crew members will go around central Tokyo for sightseeing and shopping, and will conduct a variety of exchanges, including a soccer match, with their Japanese counterparts.
The two sides will visit each other's warships, and plan to offer a joint bands performance for the civilians.
The visit of "Shenzhen," which left the Zhanjiang port of Southern China's Guangdong Province on Nov. 21, is at the invitation of the MSDF.
(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2007)
