SINALUBONG kahapon ng mga opisyal mula sa Chinese Embassy kasama ang ilang kasapi ng Philippine Navy ang dumating na Chinese naval training ship “Qi Jiguang” na dumaong sa Pier 15 South Harbour sa Maynila.
Ang Qi Jiguang na pinakamalaking naval training ship ng China’s People’s Liberation Army ay nasa Manila para sa three-day port call at bubuksan ng China sa publiko hanggang Hunyo 16.
Nabatid na may ilang barkong pandigma na rin ang dumaong sa Pilipinas noong Davao 2017 port call at noong 2019 sa Manila bukod pa sa kadarating na PLA navy training ship.
Ayon kay Michael Li ng Chinese Embassy, “the training ship is a large naval training ship independently designed and built by China. It is 163 meters long, 22 meters wide, has a full load displacement of more than 9,000 tons, and has a maximum speed of 22 knots, which can meet the requirements for wind resistance of grade 12.”
“The Chinese PLA Naval training ship will be here for a goodwill port visit to Manila. It has paid visits to Vietnam, Thailand and Brunei before the Philippines,” sabi pa ni Li.
“This visit marks the first time that a Chinese Navy vessel arrived in the country since 2019 when PLA Navy’s Escort Task Group 539 comprised of three vessels conducted a five-day goodwill visit to the Philippines,” ani Philippine Navy Spokesman Cdr Benjo Negranza.
Ang hukbong-dagat ng Pilipinas ay magsisilbing host ng bumibisitang contingent ng China at ng kaugalian at karaniwang akomodasyon na ibinibigay nito sa lahat ng bumibisitang hukbong-dagat bilang pagtugon sa tungkuling diplomatiko nito at pagtataguyod ng kooperasyong pandagat. VERLIN RUIZ