Three Chinese warships in Colombo on formal visit

• By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

Three Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy warships—”HE FEI,” “WUZHISHAN,” and “QILIANSHAN”—arrived at the port of Colombo last morning for a formal visit.   

The “HE FEI” is a 144.5-metre-long destroyer with 267 crew members under Captain Chen Junfeng. The “WUZHISHAN” and “QILIANSHAN” are both 210-metre-long Landing Platform Docks, commanded by Captain Fei Zhang and Captain Xiong Binghon, respectively. The “WUZHISHAN” has a crew of 872, while the “QILIANSHAN” has 334.   

The Navy said that the commanding officers of the warships are scheduled to meet with Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumarasinghe, Commander of the Western Naval Area, at the Western Naval Command Headquarters. To enhance naval relations, crew members will participate in various programmes organised by the Sri Lanka Navy.   

During their stay, the crew will also explore local tourist attractions, and Sri Lanka Navy personnel will attend briefings on the ships’ operational functions.   

The visit will conclude with a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) involving a Sri Lanka Navy ship, after which the warships will depart Colombo on August 29.