Delegates attend the 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 22, 2024. The 19th Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) opened on Monday in the port city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua)
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) was held in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province from April 21 to 24. This is the second time the WPNS was held in China after the country first hosted the event in 2014. This event is not only a vivid diplomatic practice for the PLA Navy to implement the important concept of a maritime community of shared future, but also provides a platform for the navies of various countries in the Western Pacific to deepen practical cooperation.
The PLA Navy held the 14th WPNS for the first time in Qingdao in 2014 and facilitated the adoption of a series of outcomes including the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES), receiving high praise from representatives of participating countries. Ten years later, China once again hosted the WPNS, with delegations from 29 countries actively attending.
Chinese naval military expert Zhang Junshe believes that this meeting demonstrates China's determination and willingness to safeguard maritime security, and also reflects the shared aspiration of all parties to establish a peaceful, stable and secure maritime environment.
The PLA Navy will continue to work with the navies of other countries to jointly respond to maritime security risks and challenges. On December 26, 2008, Chinese naval vessels set sail for the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia to perform escort mission. Over the past 15 years, the PLA Navy has dispatched a total of 46 escort taskforces, successfully completed more than 1,600 escort tasks for more than 7,200 Chinese and foreign ships, and rescued and covered nearly 100 ships of various types, making significant contributions to safeguarding the security of major international trade channels and maintaining world peace and stability.
The PLA Navy also plays an active role in international maritime search and rescue operations. From the typhoons disaster in the Philippines, to the freshwater crisis in the Maldives, or volcanic disaster in the Kingdom of Tonga, the PLA Navy maneuvered around the clock to deliver more than 1,400 tons of supplies, rescue over 2,200 victims, and provide medicine to tens of thousands of people in need.
In addition, the PLA Navy actively promotes regional peace and stability through diplomatic and military exchanges, strengthens friendly relations with neighboring countries, and advances the establishment of regional confidence-building mechanisms and maritime dialogue and cooperation. Up to now, Chinese naval vessels have made over 100 visits to more than 90 countries in six continents, received over 300 visits by foreign naval vessels, and conducted nearly 100 joint exercises and training sessions with foreign counterparts .
Over the past 75 years, the PLA Navy has continued to grow and develop, becoming an important force for maintaining maritime security, world peace and stability. As the PLA Navy sails farther, it will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in maintaining regional and global peace and stability.
Editor's note: Originally published on haiwainet.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
