The naval fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army left the naval port in Qingdao Wednesday for a round-the-world voyage, the first in Chinese Naval history.
The fleet, composed of a missile destroyer named "Qingdao" and a comprehensive depot ship named "Taicang", will visit many countries including Singapore, Egypt, Turkey, Ukraine, Greece, Portugal, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
Led by Ding Yiping, Commander of the North China Sea Fleet, the vessels will cross the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.
The warships, which have over 500 crew members, were designed and made in China, and have already paid visits to foreign countries.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2002)
