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Chinese navy vessel to visit ROK, Japan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-23 23:09

BEIJING: The "Zhenghe" training vessel of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy is to visit the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan from October 29 to November 2, and November 5 to 9 respectively, said sources with the Navy Friday.

At the invitation of the ROK's navy and Japan's maritime self-defence force, the vessel planned to sail to Chinhae port in the ROK and Kure port in Japan, according to Rear-Admiral Liu Yi, the PLA Navy's deputy chief of staff, who will lead the vessel.

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Of 365 people to be on board the vessel, 230 are students from four academies under the PLA Navy. They will have a variety of professional exchanges with their ROK and Japanese counterparts respectively, according to Liu.

During the visit, four Chinese navy students will get the opportunity to receive training in academies of the ROK's navy and Japan's maritime self-defence force for two or three days, he said.

And the ROK's navy and Japan's maritime self-defence force can each send two students to receive training on the vessel "Zhenghe", according to Liu.

The visiting ship was named after a Chinese maritime explorer who sailed overseas about 600 years ago.