Recently, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China conducted a joint naval exercise with a frigate from the Egyptian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, where the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Jiaozuo docked in the port city of Alexandria after its visit to Russia. The five-day visit also included the presence of the comprehensive supply ship Type 903A Honghu from the 46th Escort Task Group of the PLA Navy.
According to the PLA’s press release, the Jiaozuo and the Honghu joined forces with the multi-purpose FREMM frigate Al-Galala of the Egyptian Navy. They carried out training courses, communication coordination, formation maneuvers, and maritime refueling positioning drills, all as part of a PASSEX-type exercise.
The ships from both navies took turns commanding during the drill in a coordinated manner, completing the scheduled training. They visited each other’s ships and also engaged in recreational activities before the flotilla separation ceremony, as the visit aimed to “significantly promote exchanges between the two navies and deepen the friendship between the two countries.”
The journey of the Chinese Navy ships and their passage through Russia
Observers note the remarkable progress of the Chinese Navy in various operations and the deepening of friendships with foreign counterparts. The long distances traveled by the Chinese warships are also noteworthy, with the 46th escort task group departing from Guangdong in February for the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia, then heading to St. Petersburg and later to Alexandria.
It is worth mentioning that before visiting Egypt, the Type 052D destroyer of the Chinese Navy visited St. Petersburg to celebrate Russian Navy Day and then conducted a joint exercise in the Gulf of Finland at the end of July. The events and naval review were later canceled for security reasons, but the Jiaozuo and the Honghu continued on their course to strengthen ties between the two forces.
However, in this context, both ships were escorted by some naval forces in the region. One of these was the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which deployed a monitoring and tracking operation with one of its Type 23 frigates (HMS Richmond) while the Chinese surface units were heading to St. Petersburg. NATO naval forces were on alert due to the presence of this Chinese ship formation, leading the British frigate to sail from the Plymouth Naval Base, monitor, and track the activities of the Jiaozuo destroyer and the Honghu ship.
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