Chinese naval fleet arrives in Russia's Vladivostok for goodwill visit

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's 83rd taskforce arrived at the port of Vladivostok in Russia's Far East on Tuesday morning, kicking off a four-day goodwill visit to Russia.

The taskforce, composed of the training ship CNS Qi Jiguang (Hull 83) and the amphibious dock landing ship CNS Kunlunshan (Hull 998), is on a far-sea comprehensive training and visit mission.

More than 200 people, including staff from the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok, representatives of overseas Chinese, students, and officers and sailors from the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet, gathered at the port to welcome the Chinese vessels.

After the welcoming ceremony, the training ship Qi Jiguang opened its decks to visitors.

During the visit, crew members of the taskforce are scheduled to tour the Russian destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov and the Military History Museum of the Pacific Fleet, and engage in professional and cultural exchanges with their Russian counterparts. The taskforce will also organize deck receptions and other events.

This marks the first visit to Russia for both the training ship Qi Jiguang and the amphibious dock landing ship Kunlunshan since their entry into service respectively in 2017 and 2008.

International gold and silver prices both dropped on Tuesday.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for August delivery fell 1.27 percent to settle at 4,149.40 U.S. dollars per ounce, while silver futures for July delivery dropped 5.36 percent to close at 62.070 dollars per ounce.

Deutsche Bank cut its forecast for international gold prices in a report released on Tuesday.

The bank noted that if the U.S. Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, its gold price target for the third quarter of this year stands at 4,300 dollars per ounce, a downward revision of more than one-fifth from its prior estimate.

It also said that if the Fed raises interest rates three to four times, gold price could slump to 3,800 dollars per ounce.