Communication: Let Peace and Friendship Cross Mountains and Seas - On the 43rd Escort Fleet of the Chinese Navy's Friendly Visit to 5 West African Countries, Congo | Fleet | Chinese Navy
Brazzaville, July 24th (Xinhua) - Let Peace and Friendship Cross Mountains and Seas - On the 43rd Escort Fleet of the Chinese Navy's Friendly Visits to 5 West African Countries
Tang Siyu, Wu Kangci, Zhao Haoming
"Goodbye, my friends! Looking forward to meeting you again!" Major General Bukaka, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Congolese Armed Forces, bid farewell affectionately to the commander of the Chinese Navy escort fleet.
On July 18th local time, the 43rd escort fleet of the Chinese Navy ended its friendly visit to Congo. At this point, the escort fleet lasted for 27 days and sailed 1723 nautical miles, successfully completing friendly visits to Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Gabon, and Congo.
On July 18th, the 43rd batch of escort fleet ships of the Chinese Navy departed from the port of Cape Black in Congo. Shen Jizhong
Trust brings each other closer together
"Hello, my name is Luo Yike and I graduated from the Dalian Naval Academy."
"Hello, my name is Board and I graduated from Naval Engineering University."
In the five West African countries, there are many military officers who graduated from Chinese naval academies. They played an important bridging role in this visit and exchange, which is an important achievement of military cooperation between China and Africa, as well as a result of political and military mutual trust between China and the visiting countries.
Colonel Elenga Kanga, the commander of the 311 Fleet of the Congo Navy, who studied at the China Naval Command Academy, said, "I have studied in China and learned advanced knowledge and skills. Seeing the familiar Chinese Navy again reminds me of the days when I studied in China. I miss my teachers and classmates very much, and hope that the exchanges between the Congo and China navies will become closer."
During the visit and exchange period, the officers and soldiers of the formation visited the visiting country's naval bases, combat command centers, ships, etc., and could feel their friendship and honesty towards the Chinese navy everywhere. The formation officers and soldiers also devoted themselves to imparting experience in equipment maintenance to visiting naval officers and soldiers, and assisting them in solving equipment problems in naval vessels. The dedicated efforts and excellent professional qualities of the formation officers and soldiers have won the appreciation of the visiting naval officers and soldiers, further deepening the communication and mutual trust between the formation and the visiting naval officers and soldiers.
Collaborate to jointly address challenges
As a solid force in maintaining world peace and stability and serving the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, the Chinese Navy shares common goals with West African countries in ensuring the safety of people's lives and property, and combating piracy. The topic of counter-terrorism and anti piracy has also become the most important military exchange and cooperation among the five West African countries visited by the formation.
On July 4th, in Lagos, Nigeria, representatives of Chinese formation officers and soldiers visited Nigerian naval vessels. Shen Jizhong
In response to the problems faced by the Gabonese Navy in the command and tactical coordination of anti piracy organizations, the formation selected skilled special operations personnel to conduct a full process drill on the Weishan Lake ship, helping them solve problems and improve their capabilities.
During a joint exercise between the formation and the visiting country's navy, the Weishan Lake simulated merchant ship was hijacked by pirate boats and issued a distress signal. Upon receiving signals, the Nanning, Sanya, and visiting naval vessels that were active in the surrounding area immediately rushed to the affected sea area to organize peripheral surveillance and board commercial ships to search and arrest pirates on board. In the end, with close coordination and cooperation from both sides, the hijacked crew members were successfully rescued. Captain Tu Qing of the Weishan Lake ship said, "Through this period of joint exercises, we have further improved our tactical coordination level with the visiting country's navy, raised the level of cooperation and exchange between the two navies, strengthened our confidence in jointly addressing threats and challenges, and maintaining peace and stability in the Gulf of Guinea."
Friendship, conveying love and joy
During the visit, the formation officers and soldiers almost always visit a country to comfort local children, donate learning materials, and perform lion dance, Tai Chi, calligraphy, and other traditional Chinese cultural characteristics for them.
On July 1st, the 43rd escort fleet of the Chinese Navy successfully concluded its friendly visit to Ghana and left the port of Ghana. During the visit, the Chinese fleet held a deck reception on the Nanning ship, where the officers and soldiers performed martial arts. Shen Jizhong
"The traditional Chinese cultural programs brought by Chinese naval officers and soldiers to children have made them smile, which is a witness to the friendly relationship between China and Canada," said Mifom, the director of the Angongjie Children's Welfare Institute in Libreville, Gabon
On the opening day of the Sanya Ship Organization, Gabonese martial arts coach Steve Bouisa, who had lived in China for 8 years, led his daughter and apprentice to showcase Chinese martial arts, attracting applause from visitors. He, who already has over 100 students, wants to teach the Chinese Kung Fu he has learned to more people and help them understand Chinese culture.
In recent days, the Chinese Navy escort fleet has been sailing the ship of peace, shouldering the mission of transmitting traditional friendship between China and Africa, allowing the flowers of peace and friendship to bloom in the ports of Africa. Hou Satisfied, who participated in traditional cultural performances, vividly remembers that at the end of a day of condolence activities, the children of Ganatma Elementary School held the hands of the formation soldiers all the way to board the bus, and chased the departing bus waving goodbye. "This friendship that spans mountains and seas will always be in the hearts of all of us."
