The Chinese naval vessels Yinchuan, Jinggangshan and Jingmen, scheduled to participate in the joint military exercise with Malaysia, set off from China's Sanya City, Zhanjiang City and Hong Kong respectively and headed for Malaysia on Wednesday.
Chinese and Malaysian armed forces will conduct a joint drill in Malaysia and its adjacent waters in mid-to-late October, according to a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday.
Code-named "Peace and Friendship 2025," the drill will focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, as well as maritime security, said the statement.
Over 1,000 Chinese and Malaysian troops will participate in the event. The live joint exercise will involve multi-service forces from the Chinese and Malaysian militaries. Other ASEAN member states have been invited to send observers.
Before setting out, the Chinese troops underwent intensive training, preparing for a successful completion of the mission.
This will be the sixth joint exercise program of the "Peace and Friendship" series. It aims to deepen practical cooperation between the military forces of China and Southeast Asian countries, enhancing their capability to address non-traditional security threats and safeguard regional peace and stability.
Yinchuan (hull 175) is a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer independently designed and built by China, with a total length of over 150 meters, a width of over 20 meters, and a displacement of nearly 7,000 tons. The vessel was commissioned in 2016 and has successively carried out a number of major training and exercise tasks, including escorting in the Gulf of Aden, visiting Hong Kong, participating in joint exercises with Pakistan, and conducting long-range combat readiness patrols.
Jinggangshan (hull 999) is a Type 071 amphibious dock landing ship that was commissioned on November 28, 2011. The ship is 210 meters in total length, 28 meters in width, and has a displacement of over 19,000 tons. Since its commissioning, it has carried out a number of major training and exercise tasks, including escorting in the Gulf of Aden and participating in the joint drill with Cambodia.
Jingmen (hull 667) is a Type 056A frigate that was commissioned in January 2016. The frigate is 90 meters in total length, 12 meters in width and has a displacement of over 1,400 tons.
Chinese naval vessels set sail for joint drill with Malaysia
