Chinese navy starts visit to Morocco
The 13th EscortTaskforce of the Chinese navy on Tuesday arrived in Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco, beginning a five-day visit to the country.
The visit by the escorttaskforce, composed of two frigates and one supply ship, is the first of its kind made to the nation by a Chinese naval fleet, said Li Xiaoyan, commander of the escorttaskforce.
During the visit, Li will meet Morocco's navy officers and government officials and introduce the Chinese navy's anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia for more than four years.
Further, cultural and sports activities, including a deck reception and a basketball match, are planned between the Chinese navy and the Moroccan military.
The 13th EscortTaskforce had been conducting China's convoy tasks for a four-month period in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia before it departed from the region on March 18 for nation- visiting tasks.
Currently, the 14th EscortTaskforce is undertaking the convoy tasks in the region.
Morocco is the third leg of the escorttaskforce's nation- visiting agenda. After concluding its visit to Morocco, the taskforce will head for Portugal and France.
The taskforce has previously visited Malta and Algeria.
The visits are aimed at enhancing the Chinese navy's exchanges and cooperation with more foreign nations.
Chinese warships have undertaken anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia since December 2008. To date, the Chinese navy has succeeded in escorting more than 5,000 merchant ships.
相關新聞:中國海軍第13批護航編隊9日抵達摩洛哥卡薩布蘭卡港,開始對摩洛哥進行為期5天的正式友好訪問。這是中國海軍艦艇編隊首次訪問摩洛哥。
摩洛哥海軍在碼頭舉行了隆重的歡迎儀式。中國駐摩洛哥大使館臨時代辦李津津、武官李琰文、摩洛哥海軍官兵、當地各界人士以及中資機構、華人華僑和留學生代表數百人到碼頭迎接。
據中國海軍第13批護航編隊指揮員李曉巖少將介紹,第13批護航編隊自去年11月9日起航以來,在亞丁灣、索馬里海域成功完成了37批次、166艘商船的護航任務。
訪問期間,編隊官兵將與摩洛哥海軍官兵開展文體活動和護航研討交流,并與孔子學院的摩洛哥學生展開互動活動。此外,中國艦艇還將作為“卡薩布蘭卡建港百年慶典系列活動”的組成部分向摩洛哥公眾開放。李曉巖還將分別拜會摩洛哥軍方高級官員和地區行政長官。
摩洛哥是這次中國海軍艦艇編隊出訪行程中的第三站。此前,編隊對馬耳他和阿爾及利亞進行了友好訪問。編隊還將赴葡萄牙和法國繼續訪問。
被譽為“北非花園”的摩洛哥與中國的友好關系歷史悠久。1958年11月1日,摩洛哥與中國建交,成為繼埃及之后第二個與中國建交的非洲國家。
n. 合作,協作