PLA Navy escort fleet returns after global voyage

The 43rd escort fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy returned to a naval port in Zhanjiang, in South China's Guangdong province on Tuesday, according to the Navy.

The fleet, consisting of CNS Nanning, CNS Sanya and CNS Weishan Lake, carried more than 700 sailors and commandos during an eight-month voyage that started in early January.

The Nanning is a guided missile destroyer Type 052D class, the second most powerful destroyer type in the PLA Navy. The Sanya is a Type 054A guided missile frigate while the Weishan Lake is a Type 903 replenishment ship. All of them are part of the South Sea Fleet.

During its voyage, the fleet visited 15 countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe, crossing the northern and southern hemispheres, and sailing a total distance of nearly 120,000 nautical miles (222,200 kilometers). During escort operations in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia, the fleet provided protection to 37 ships, the Navy said in a news release.

The Nanning made port calls to Karachi in Pakistan, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and Chabahar in Iran, during the mission. It also participated in the Peace-23 multinational naval exercise, the 16th International Defense Exhibition and Conference, the 7th Naval Defense Exhibition and Conference, and the Security Belt-2023 joint naval exercise. These activities further deepened the traditional friendship between China and Pakistan, the UAE and Iran, and demonstrated the openness and confidence of the Chinese navy, according to the release.

In late April, amid the turmoil and armed conflicts in Sudan, the Nanning and the Weishan Lake were dispatched to the African nation to evacuate more than 1,000 Chinese and foreign personnel, safely transporting them to Saudi Arabia, the Navy noted.