The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship "Peace Ark", which is on the Mission Harmony-2024, on Wednesday completed its week-long mission in Gabon, the eighth stop of its journey.
The "Peace Ark" arrived in the central African country on Sept 26 and started to provide free medical service for the Gabonese people since then.
Gabonese Minister of the Interior Hermann Immongault and the Chinese Ambassador to Gabon Zhou Ping were the first to board the hospital ship.
The mission has aroused the enthusiasm of the Gabonese people.
"As you know, when you see a sick person, for a mother, you can imagine the suffering. So I'm happy coming here and seeing a highly qualified doctor. You know that China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world and in terms of medicine, they are very advanced. So we are delighted to meet the doctor. The doctor saw my child and gave a diagnosis. As for the rest, we're very happy," said Moussounda Erica, a mother of a young patient.
The medical mission of the "Peace Ark" highlighted the high demand among the Gabonese people for medical care in the field of general medicine, particularly in ophthalmology, maxillofacial surgery and joint pain, which are more common among many elderly people.
I've felt the effectiveness of Chinese medicine. It doesn't just start today. I've seen their products and they've saved a lot of people. Compared to Western medicine, it's closer to African medicine," said Mimioghe Edouard, a Gabonese patient.
Both Chinese volunteers living in Gabon and Gabonese volunteers who speak French and Mandarin supported the nursing staff by helping to detect pathologies and provide appropriate care.
"This is a major mission that sends out a very strong signal. As here in Gabon, we have a lot of problems with medical cover and doctors, too. I think it's a very commendable action, which we appreciate, and I hope that in the future they will always come to help us," said Ovono Nkomo, a Gabonese doctor.
The "Peace Ark" set sail from a military port in Zhoushan in east China's Zhejiang Province in mid of June for the Mission Harmony-2024.
During the mission, the ship will visit 13 countries and provide medical service to local people. It will also make port calls to France and Greece.
This is the 10th Mission Harmony for the "Peace Ark" since its commissioning in 2008.
There are over 100 personnel on board the maritime hospital, featuring 17 clinical departments and 5 auxiliary diagnostic departments.
The "Peace Ark" is the first domestically designed and constructed standard ocean-going hospital ship in China.
This is the second time the hospital ship has docked at the port of Owendo, south of Gabon's capital city Libreville. After Gabon, it will sail for the western African country of Cameroon.
Chinese naval hospital ship "Peace Ark" completes mission in Gabon
As another dazzling China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala drew to a close on early Tuesday morning, sign language performers infused the closing song "Unforgettable Tonight" with heartfelt emotion, allowing viewers with disabilities to share in the celebration and experience every touching note alongside millions of families across China.
For four decades, the final moments of the gala have belonged to "Unforgettable Tonight." For generations, the eve of the Chinese New Year isn't complete until its familiar melody fills living rooms. "Unforgettable Tonight" is not just a song but a cherished tradition that carries the weight of a nation's shared memories and hopes.
Inside a modest rehearsal room, the magic of "barrier-free broadcasting" came alive, as the production team worked to ensure that the visually and hearing-impaired could experience the full energy and emotion of the gala, just like everyone else.
"It might look like sign language is just a set of gestures. But it's so much more. It includes facial expressions, the dynamics, and the tempo of each movement. Every detail expresses the rhythms, melodies, and emotions in the music. As you can see, for this year's 'Unforgettable Tonight' with a lighter tone, the performers made it look effortless, swaying gently as they signed. But if the style changes, so does our signing. We can make it powerful too," said Zhao Zhihui, head of barrier-free broadcasting for the gala.
Last year, the team was challenged by an operatic version of the song, and the sign language mirrored the grandeur: delivered with robust energy and the muscular grace of Chinese opera. But in 2026, the approach was intentionally more intimate. Performers strove to capture even the subtlest change in mood.
"When it was the opera version, our signing was powerful and vigorous, capturing the strength and depth of traditional Chinese opera. This year, we wanted every delicate shift on stage to be fully shared by our visually and hearing-impaired audiences," Zhao shared.
During rehearsal, as the melody of "Unforgettable Tonight" flowed through the room and interpreters began their own choreography, the song revealed a beauty beyond sound and lyrics. Their hands, faces, and movements became a new language of expression, resonating with everyone present.
"It's not really about singing a song. It's about channeling all the emotions we've built up through so many years of the Chinese New Year. The gestures required for this song are simple, just a few basic movements. But every time you perform them, it feels different. Especially the final sign, the emotions are always deeper. Because that moment carries several months of hard work. When you finally succeed and think about 'Unforgettable Tonight,' you realize, what is 'tonight'? It's actually the past months of preparation and effort, all leading to that one final moment when we share the Gala's wonderful performances with every single member of our audience," said Zhao.
Sign language performers bring fresh life to beloved song at Spring Festival Gala
