PLA Navy hospital ship arrives in Vanuatu

The "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the PLAN arrives at Port Vila of Vanuatu on August 31, 2014. The "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the PLAN, which is performing mission of the "Harmonious Mission - 2014", arrived at the main pier of Port Vila in Vanuatu on the morning of August 31, 2014, local time. (navy.81.cn/Ju Zhenhua)

The "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which is performing mission of the "Harmonious Mission - 2014" (hereinafter referred to as the harmonious mission), arrived at the main pier of Port Vila in Vanuatu on the morning of August 31, 2014, local time, and started its 7-day visit and medical service mission.

Two Australian military medical personnel were permitted to board on the "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the PLAN for the harmonious mission during its stay in Vanuatu. It is the first time for the "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the PLAN to invite the foreign military medical personnel for the harmonious mission.

Shen Hao, commanding officer of the harmonious mission, told reporter that when Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), visited Australia in June 2014, the Chinese and the Australian sides decided that the military medical personnel from the Australian Defense Forces will be assigned to perform the harmonious mission of the PLAN.

"The series of harmonious missions, which are China-led international humanitarian medical rescue operations, have been winning an increasingly global positive response and playing a more and more positive role," Shen Hao introduced.

"Inviting two Australian military medical personnel for the medical service mission in Vanuatu is not only to implement China's diplomatic policy, but also a start for the "Peace Ark" hospital ship of the PLAN to establish a platform of international medical cooperation," Shen Hao added.

During its visit to Vanuatu, the "Peace Ark" hospital ship docking at Port Vila will not only serve as the main platform for the medical service tasks, but assign the medical teams to the local hospital and villages to provide medical service.