Chinese Navy hospital ship arrives in Ghana on medical mission

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's hospital ship Auspicious Ark arrived at Ghana's eastern port Tema on Friday to begin a seven-day goodwill visit and medical mission.

This is the first visit by a Chinese naval hospital ship to the West African country.

A grand welcoming ceremony was held at the dock. Ghanaian military and government officials, staff of the Chinese Embassy, and representatives of the Chinese community and Chinese-funded enterprises in Ghana attended the event. Participants held banners and waved national flags of China and Ghana to welcome the ship, while the Ghanaian side staged a military band parade to express their hospitality.

Following the ceremony, Ghanaian government and military officials, together with China's ambassador to Ghana, defense attache and embassy staff, toured the ship and held discussions with members of the mission.

China and Ghana established diplomatic ties in July 1960 and upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership in September 2024.

During the seven-day visit, in addition to providing medical services, the hospital ship will carry out various exchange activities to further enhance friendship and trust between the two countries.

Chinese Navy hospital ship arrives in Ghana on medical mission

The Saudi-led coalition claimed interception of a drone and a missile from Yemen's Houthis, while the Houthi group reported intensive Saudi airstrikes targeting civilian assets, according to the spokespersons of the two sides.

On Saturday, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said on social media that the coalition intercepted and destroyed a drone in Saudi Arabia's eastern region, and also intercepted and destroyed a missile fired by the Houthis toward the capital Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said late on Friday on social media that Saudi Arabia had launched 124 airstrikes and missile attacks over the past 24 hours on multiple Yemeni provinces, including Sanaa, Taiz and Lahj, causing casualties that included women and children.

According to the Houthis, Saudi airstrikes and missile attacks on Yemen had totaled 3,024 since the escalation of the current round of conflict.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of the country's north. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

Saudi-led coalition claims intercepting Houthi drone, missile, Houthis report Saudi airstrikes