A guided missile destroyer and a supply ship left this
southernmost Chinese island on Tuesday for a friendship visit to
Russia, Britain, Spain and France.
Dubbed Guangzhou and Weishanhu, the two warships,
belonging to the South China Fleet under the Chinese navy, will
travel some 23,000 sea miles in 87 days, with nearly 500 officers
and sailors aboard.
In the first leg to St. Petersburg of Russia, Chinese sailors
will participate in the activities celebrating the "Year of China"
in Russia.
The Chinese warships are also expected to launch a joint search
and rescue maneuver on the sea with navy forces of Britain, Spain
and France.
(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2007)
