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By Sun Yi and Li Mingyu

Cadets and sailors of the Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang wave goodbye to the Vietnamese peers. (Photo by Zheng Tianchi)

DA NANG, Vietnam, May 26 -- Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang (Hull 83) wrapped up a goodwill visit to Vietnam and sailed to Thailand on May 25, local time.

The Vietnamese side held a grand farewell ceremony at the Tien Sa port in Da Nang at 10 am on May 25, 2023. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, the Chinese Consulate General in Da Nang, Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese, and representatives of the Vietnamese military and local government saw the Chinese cadets and sailors off at the port. After leaving the port, ship Qi Jiguang held joint training with Vietnamese naval vessels.

During their visit to Vietnam, the representatives of the Chinese naval troops called on the Vietnamese troops stationed in Da Nang and the local government, visited the Region 3 Command of Vietnam People"s Navy, and had professional exchanges and friendly sports match with the troops of the Vietnamese Navy. The ship Qi Jiguang also organized three open-day activities and one on-deck reception.

Ship Qi Jiguang set sail from a military port in Dalian on the morning of May 15, with 476 naval cadets and sailors onboard, to conduct cadet training in far seas and pay visits to four countries, namely, Vietnam, Thailand, Brunei and the Philippines, as scheduled. This voyage marks the training ship’s third navigation training and visit mission in open seas since its commission in 2017.

Representatives of Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese see the ship Qi Jiguang off at the port in Da Nang. (Photo by Zheng Tianchi)