First foreign warship arrives in Qingdao ahead of PLA Navy anniversary celebrations
The RSS Stalwart, one of the largest ships in the Singaporean Navy, arrived in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on Friday, ahead of planned celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
Singapore's RSS Stalwart arrives in Qingdao, Shandong Province, east China, April 19, 2019. /CGTN Photo
The ship arrived at around 10 a.m. BJT on Friday. It is the first foreign warship to reach the port city ahead of the multinational naval event scheduled for April 23.
The commanding officer of the Singaporean frigate Aaron Li Jun Hong took part in a welcoming ceremony accompanied by Chinese naval officials.
A welcome ceremony is held in Qingdao, Shandong Province, April 19, 2019. /CGTN Photo
Over the next three days, more than 15 naval vessels from over 12 countries are expected to dock at the Port of Qingdao.
More than 60 countries are expected to attend the event.
The event includes a maritime parade, high-level seminars, joint military music display, a warship open day, cultural and sports exchanges, and professional exchanges.
With a displacement of 3,200 tons, an overall length of 114.8 meters and a beam of 16.3 meters, the Formidable-class frigate RSS Stalwart could sail at speeds of up to 27 knots.
(CGTN's Tang Bo also contributed to this story.)