Three Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warships—”HE FEI,” “WUZHISHAN,” and “QILIANSHAN”—arrived at Colombo Port on August 26 for a formal visit, according to the Sri Lanka Navy. The ships were welcomed in accordance with naval traditions.
The “HE FEI,” a 144.50-meter-long destroyer, is crewed by 267 personnel under the command of Captain Chen Junfeng. The “WUZHISHAN,” a 210-meter-long Landing Platform Dock, is manned by 872 crew members and commanded by Captain Fei Zhang. The “QILIANSHAN,” also a 210-meter-long Landing Platform Dock, has a crew of 334 personnel under the command of Captain Xiong Binghon.
The Commanding Officers of these Chinese warships are scheduled to meet with the Commander Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumarasinghe, at the Western Naval Command Headquarters today. To foster camaraderie, crew members from the visiting ships will participate in a series of programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy. They will also have the opportunity to explore some of the country’s tourist attractions during their stay in Colombo.
The visit will conclude with a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) involving a Sri Lanka Navy ship on August 29, when the Chinese warships will depart the island.
In a parallel development, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mumbai also arrived at Colombo Port this morning for a formal visit. The 163-meter-long destroyer is crewed by 410 personnel and commanded by Captain Sandeep Kumar. Like the Chinese warships, INS Mumbai’s crew will explore local tourist sites and conduct a briefing on the ship’s operational functions for Sri Lanka Navy personnel. The INS Mumbai is scheduled to depart on August 29, following a Passage Exercise with a Sri Lanka Navy ship off the coast of Colombo.
