1st Chinese warship to visit Japan

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-22-2007 09:11

A Chinese warship left the southern city of Zhanjiang on Wednesday for a port call in Japan. It will be the first time a PLA vessel has ever visited Japan.

The "Shenzhen" is one of Chinese Navy's best missile destroyers.

345 officers are on board, including Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, the vice chief of staff of the South China Sea Fleet.

During the four-day stay, the Chinese crew will conduct military exchanges and entertainment activities with their counterparts from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The two navies will visit each other's ships, and the two military bands will give joint performances for citizens in Tokyo.

The "Shenzhen" will also be open to the public.

The Chinese destroyer is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo next Wednesday.

The visit aims to promote mutual trust between China and Japan in defense. It's just one of the events this year marking the 35th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations.

The landmark visit follows the Japanese tour by Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan in August.