PLA Navy to hold 14th WPNS in Qingdao

[amoy]

PLA Navy to hold 14th WPNS in Qingdao

the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN) will hold the 14th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, in late April. Liang Yang, spokesman of the PLAN, said on April 15, 2014.

It is learnt that the PLAN will also hold Multinational Maritime Exercise in Qingdao to commemorate the 65th founding anniversary of the PLAN during the WPNS..

Brunei Naval Ship Departs for Qingdao to Join Drills

A total crew of 69 Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) personnel including attachments set sail on their vessel KDB DARULEHSAN on Monday to attend the Western Pacific Naval Symposium and join the Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MMEx) to be held in Qingdao, a port city in China's Shandong province.

It is the first time for Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) ship to set sail to China and first time to join the exercise. The deployment is led by Major (Navy) Willie, commanding officer of KDB DARULEHSAN.

During the ship send-off ceremony, Fang Xinwen, Charge d' Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Brunei Darussalam and Colonel ( Navy) Pengiran Norazmi, Acting Commander of RBN attended to bid farewell at the Muara port. Also presents were Senior Colonel Cheng Shaoying, Defense Attache of China, Lieutenant Colonel (Navy) Haji Yusuf, Fleet Commander, RBN officers and personnel as well as family members of the deployed personnel.

KDB DARULEHSAN will join other countries involving warships participating in the exercise at sea on April 24. The sea-phase includes a range of exercises, joint anti-hijacking, search and rescue and small arms firing.

The MMEx will be conducted amidst of the event of Western Pacific Naval Symposium 2014 (WPNS 2014) which will also takes place in Qingdao. WPNS is a forum where leaders of Pacific Ocean region navies could meet biennially to discuss cooperative initiatives to address regional and global maritime issues. WPNS 2014 will mainly be attended by the Chief Navies of WPNS members including First Admiral Dato Abdul Aziz, Commander of Royal Brunei Navy.

Missile Frigate Abu Bakr visits Hong Kong - Pressenza

The BNS Abu Bakr, a Bangladesh navy missile frigate, was in transit Hong Kong for a couple of day 13 April to 15 April 2014, on its way to Qingdao for the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MMEx) held in this port city in China's Shandong province.

In Hong Kong a friendly get-together and party was held on board the Abu Bakr, organised by the Consulate and the ship's commodore, coincidently celebrating Bengali New Year with wide participation by the local Bangladesh community, plus invited friends from various local diplomatic institutions and the press. The ship's band played throughout – the sailors proved very lively dancers in the joyful Bangladesh style.

Brunei - KDB DARULEHSAN

Bangladesh - BNS Abu Bakr,

Indonesia

PNS Shamsher

Singapore

INS Shivalik

Malaysia

 

[amoy]

Naval Symposium Inks Agreement to Head off Miscommunication

The Code For Unplanned Encounters at Sea has been approved unanimously at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, also known as WPNS.

The agreement outlines how warships should communicate and manoeuvre when they come into contact in heavily trafficked sea lanes surrounding China, Japan and Southeast Asia.

Chinese Naval Commander Wu Shengli.

"We hope that we can increase understanding and trust among naval forces across the region, and further promote pragmatic maritime cooperation, and achieve expected goals through discussions at this year's symposium."

Participants have also agreed to accept Pakistan as a WPNS observer at the symposium.

Delegates at the event are set to review the work of WPNS-sponsored seminars and other activities for the past year, and deliberate maritime regulations in the region.

Chinese Naval Commander Wu Shengli has also taken time to acknowledge two recent tragedies in the region.

"On behalf of the Chinese Navy, I would like to express our condolences to victims of missing flight MH370 and the Korean ferry accident. We would like to express our sympathy for those who lost their loved ones and gratitude for those countries that provided humanitarian assistance to the rescue operations. I would like to propose that we should have specific discussions on how to organize more efficient international maritime rescue operations during meetings at this year's symposium."

The WPNS was launched by the United States and its allies in 1987, with the goal of promoting cooperation among the navies of countries bordering the Pacific Ocean.

It is the first time China, as one of its 12 founding members, has hosted the biennial symposium.

The organization now has 21 member countries and four observers.

 

[amoy]

Review of China's Navy in 65 Years Review of China's Navy in 65 Years

debut 1954. The "Anshan" Destroyer was the first destroyer class vessel of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). [Photo: sina.com]

1957, the "Chengdu" Frigate was designed by the Soviet Union and constructed by PLAN. [Photo: sina.com]

1966, the "Jiangnan" Frigate was the first mid-sized surface vessel developed by China's navy. [Photo: sina.com]

1971, the "Lvda" Destroyer was a destroyer vessel developed by China's navy. [Photo: sina.com]

1975, the "Jianghu" Frigate was China's first type I missile frigate developed entirely by China. [Photo: sina.com]

1986, the "Jianghu III" Frigate was the first vessel installed with anti-ship missile. [Photo: sina.com]

1990, the "Lvda III" Destroyer was the first destroyer produced based on advanced technology from western countries. [Photo: sina.com]

1994, the "Lvhu" Destroyer is China's first modern destroyer. Most of the technology adopted in this vessel was imported from western countries. [Photo: sina.com]

 

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1998, the "Lvhai" Destroyer was a new type of destroyer vessel powered by steam. [Photo: sina.com]

2002, the "Jianghu" Frigate was a thermal power vessel. [Photo: sina.com]

2007, "Lvzhou" Destroyer is an anti-aircraft steam powered vessel. Its anti-aircraft system is imported from Russia. [Photo: sina.com]

2008, the "Jiangkai II" Frigate is a milestone vessel. Its functions are considered to be generally more advanced than the navy's previous military vessels. [Photo: sina.com]