Three Chinese Navy ships Tang Shan, Da Qing and Tai Hu have arrived at the Chattogram Port for a five-day goodwill visit to Bangladesh. The Chinese Navy ships are scheduled to depart from Bangladeshi waters on September 21.
High-ranking officials from the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, Chinese nationals, and senior local officials from the Bangladesh Navy were also present to welcome the vessels, Bangladesh Sangbad Sanstha reported. The Bangladesh Navy Chief also met the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T Christensen, on Thursday. “The visiting ships and their personnel were warmly welcomed by the Bangladesh Navy. Upon their arrival, the Chief Staff Officer to the Commander, Chattogram Naval Area, welcomed the ships’ officers and sailors. A well-attired Navy band performed in accordance with traditional customs. The Tang Shan is a Type 052DL (an extended-deck variant of the Type 052D featuring an upgraded anti-stealth radar and helicopter facilities) destroyer serving as the flagship of the PLAN’s 48th escort task group, which recently completed anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The Sea Guardian exercise aimed to enhance interoperability and maritime cooperation between the navies of Pakistan and China. The exercise comprised two phases, including a five-day port visit to Karachi and a two-day sea phase in the North Arabian Sea. The Tai Hu Type 903A replenishment ship of the People’s Liberation Army Navy and it provides fuel, water, food, and ammunition to naval destroyers and frigates during long-distance voyages or combat operations. The officers and sailors of the visiting ships will tour Bangladesh Navy vessels and bases, as well as various scenic and historical sites in Chattogram. “Fantastic meeting with the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Khondkar Misbah ul Azim! We reaffirmed the strength of the US-Bangladesh defence partnership.
The goodwill visit is expected to further strengthen mutual cooperation, professional ties and friendly relations between the two navies,” the Bangladesh Navy said in a statement. The Da Qing, commissioned in 2015, is a Type 054A guided-missile frigate of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, and it took part in the bilateral “Sea Guardian” exercise with the Pakistan Navy earlier this year. A delegation comprising the commanding officers of the visiting ships and the Chinese Military Attache to Bangladesh is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on the Commander, Chattogram Naval Area; the Commander, BN Fleet; and the Chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority, according to the ISPR. As Bangladesh modernises its ports and waterways, trusted US manufacturers stand ready to deliver – proven technology, lasting value, and a partnership built to last,” the US Ambassador to Bangladesh said.
