The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Task Force 83, comprising the training ship Qi Jiguang and the amphibious dock landing ship Kunlunshan, returned to Dalian, Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, on Monday after successfully completing its far-sea comprehensive training and visit missions to Russia, Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia, per official release on Tuesday.
The trainees participating in the mission came from the Naval University of Engineering, the Naval Submarine Academy and the Dalian Naval Academy, along with 19 foreign personnel from 10 countries, including Brazil, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam, who trained alongside their Chinese counterparts in integrated formations, according to China’s Ministry of National Defense.
Since setting sail on June 15, the formation has passed through the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan and South China Sea, transiting key waterways including the Tsushima Strait, the Taiwan Strait and the Karimata Strait, said the report.
The 64-day voyage covered over 11,000 nautical miles. Throughout the journey, the formation adhered to the principle of “training, studying, researching and improving along the way”, completing training schedules while organizing trainees for on-the-job exercises, honing their comprehensive capabilities in the far seas and laying a solid foundation for future service.
The formation conducted goodwill visits to Russia, Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia, hosting four deck receptions and 16 ship open days, inviting foreign civilians, overseas Chinese and foreign military representatives aboard for visits. The formation also engaged in ship exchanges, friendly sports matches and discussions with local institutions, effectively enhancing mutual trust and friendship with the visited countries.
Throughout the mission, soldiers and trainees completed each task to high standards. The mission effectively bridged academy education with frontline training, enhancing the trainees’ naval professionalism, operational competence and international perspective, while showcasing the PLA Navy’s positive image and putting into practice the vision of a maritime community with a shared future.
The integrated training model that brings together Chinese and foreign cadets holds value in helping young officers build cross-cultural understanding, fostering substantive mutual trust and laying a foundation for future practical cooperation in areas such as maritime security coordination and joint search and rescue, Wang Yunfei, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times.
Wang said the combination of a training ship and a dock landing ship carries an educational connotation, making the visit appear as a peaceful, goodwill mission rather than a show of force, while the dock landing ship also highlights the Navy’s multi-mission capabilities in far-sea projection, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
This combination, accompanied by a range of exchange activities, not only helps shape an image of the Chinese Navy that is open, transparent and professional, but also fosters a more relaxed atmosphere for bilateral military relations, Wang added.
