The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's missile
destroyer "Shenzhen" left Tokyo's Harumi wharf on Saturday morning,
concluding the PLA's first-ever warship visit to Japan.
Chinese officials stand
aboard as the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s navy missile
destroyer "Shenzhen" arrives in Tokyo for a 4-day goodwill visit to
Japan, Nov. 28, 2007. It's the first time for PLA vessels to visit
Japan.
"Shenzhen", with 345 officials and soldiers onboard headed by
Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, vice chief of staff of the South China
Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy, was led off the port by the Japan's
Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF)'s frigate "Thunder" at 09:53
a.m. local time.
About three hundred Japan-based Chinese gathered on the bank to
see off the warship from homeland. They waved Chinese and Japanese
national flags and unfolded banners celebrating the successful
visit.
Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cui Tiankai also led embassy
officials to send off the warship.
The Chinese People's
Liberation Army (PLA)'s navy missile destroyer "Shenzhen" arrives
in Tokyo for a 4-day goodwill visit to Japan, Nov. 28,
2007.
During the four-day visit starting Nov. 28, while Chinese naval
officials were meeting with Japanese officials from the defense
ministry and the SDF, Chinese crew members toured central Tokyo and
held a variety of exchanges activities, including a soccer match,
with their Japanese counterparts.
The two sides visited each other's warships and opened their
warships to the public.
The visit of "Shenzhen," which left the Zhanjiang port of
Southern China's Guangdong Province on Nov. 21, was at the
invitation of the MSDF.
An old Japanese man
poses for photos with the Chinese national flag and the visiting
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s navy missile destroyer
"Shenzhen" in Tokyo, Nov. 28, 2007.
(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2007)
