Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace starts visit to Fiji

SUVA - The Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace, which is on Mission Harmony-2018, arrived on Thursday in the Fijian capital city of Suva, beginning an eight-day goodwill visit and providing humanitarian medical service in Fiji.

At the grand welcome ceremony hosted by the Fijian side earlier Thursday, the Fijian military band played the melody of welcoming guests while parading and the local people presented garlands to the mission commanders.

Brigadier general Apakuki Kurusiga, commander of the Fijian homeland guards, Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo, local citizens as well as overseas Chinese and representatives of the Chinese enterprises greeted the arrival of Ark Peace on the wharf.

Rear Admiral Viliame Naupoto, commander of the Fijian armed forces met later Thursday with the commanders of the Mission Harmony-2018 and representatives of men and women in uniform of Ark Peace at Queen Elizabeth Barracks and hosted a traditional welcome ceremony to convey his warm welcome to the second visit by Ark Peace.

During the visit, commanders of Mission Harmony- 2018, will pay courtesy call on the senior Fijian military officers and government officials, and the medical staff will go to a Fijian military unit for exchange on combat casualty.

Ark Peace will conduct all-weather medical service onboard to provide free medical service for the local people, members of the Chinese institutions and overseas Chinese as well.

In the meantime, several medical teams will also be dispatched to the local health centers for joint consultation and treatment. A medical helicopter carrying medical staff is planned to fly to a local island for round of medical trip, so as to benefit the local citizens at maximum.

A cultural entertainment will take place between men and women in uniform from Ark Peace and the students and faculty of the University of South Pacific, which is aimed at deepening mutual understanding and enhancing friendship.

Fiji is the third stop of Ark Peace's current mission and this is also the second time for the ship to visit the South Pacific Island nation after its first successful visit four years ago.