China-Russia joint naval exercise concludes

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02:08

China and Russia wrapped up joint naval exercises off the coast of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province on Saturday.

Among the ships that took part was the Chinese guided-missile frigate Linyi, which played a vital role in the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Yemen in 2015.

The frigate concluded its last mission on Saturday evening in the joint exercise between the Chinese and Russian navies.

Crew members on board the Chinese PLA Navy guided-missile frigate Linyi in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, May 4, 2019. /CGTN Photo

Zhang Guangyao, captain of Linyi, said that all the exercises concluded safely, smoothly and successfully.

"I am very satisfied with the performance and mental state of all the personnel aboard our vessel," he said.

Crew members on board the Chinese PLA Navy guided-missile frigate Linyi in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, May 4, 2019. /CGTN Photo

The frigate departed the port of Qingdao on May 1 and formed a formation with more than 10 other Chinese and Russian vessels.

Until May 4, it took part in major joint naval drills. From anti-submarine and anti-aircraft missions, to firing off rocket-propelled depth-charges and the ship's main gun.

It kept a close watch on the safety of the missions and coordinated with other vessels.

The exercise helped forge strong bonds between Chinese crew and their Russian counterparts.

Crew members on board the PLA Navy frigate Linyi wave goodbye to their Russian counterparts after the conclusion of the "Joint Sea 2019" exercise by Chinese and Russian navies in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, May 4, 2019. /CGTN Photo

"The exercise this time is a very important opportunity for our personnel. We are impressed by the combat capabilities of the Russian navy, and the drill will help improve our own crew members," said Zhang Guangyao.

When it was all said and done, vessels from both sides saw each other off with a blow of their whistles and crew members on both sides waved each other their heartfelt goodbyes.

It's clear that the drill's success is not just operational, but also emotional.