China hosts 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium

QINGDAO -- The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) opened on Sunday in the port city of Qingdao in East China's Shandong province.

Themed "Seas of Shared Future," the four-day meeting has had over 180 navy representatives from 29 countries, including Australia, Cambodia, Chile, France, and India.

Delegates to the meeting will review activities taking place under the symposium's framework since its 18th biennial meeting, set the future agenda, and discuss and vote on issues such as the WPNS Business Charter, the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), and the unmanned system.

Foreign navy leaders will be invited to discuss the Global Security Initiative and maritime peace, maritime order based on maritime security cooperation and international laws, and global maritime governance.

Liang Wei, a senior officer with China's Naval Research Academy (NRA), said the attendance at this meeting and the ranks of participating officers from other countries are high.

"This not only demonstrates the vigor of the symposium but also reflects the influence and appeal of the Chinese navy," Liang said.

As a founding member of the WPNS, China first hosted the 14th WPNS biennial meeting in Qingdao in 2014. At the meeting, member states endorsed the CUES, a navy-to-navy template designed to reduce misunderstandings and avoid maritime accidents.

Currently, the WPNS has 23 member states and seven observing states. The symposium holds meetings and has exchange programs for young officers as well as senior and young sergeants.

Ren Xiaofeng, another senior officer with the NRA, said the symposium had helped promote communication and exchanges among different ranks of naval officers in various countries.

At this year's meeting, delegates will be invited to join tours of military and cultural contents, as well as a light show with international naval features.

This year marks the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. Over the decades, the PLA Navy has developed into a strategic force consisting of five services and with both nuclear and conventional weapons, heading toward its goal of becoming a world-class navy.

The WPNS stands as a valuable platform for the world to better know about China and the Chinese navy, and for the Chinese navy to showcase itself to the world, said Zheng Hong, also a senior officer with the NRA.