Tonga king attends reception on visiting Chinese Navy ship

Tupou VI, king of the Kingdom of Tonga, led high-ranking government officials and military officers to attend the reception on the deck of the "Zheng He" oceangoing training ship of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on the afternoon of August 13, 2012. The "Zheng He" ship was paying a friendly visit to Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga.

Tupou VI and his wife boarded the "Zheng He" ship in the company of Siale'ataongo Tu'ivakanō, prime minister of Tonga, and Brigadier T. Uta'atu, commander of the Tonga Defence Forces at 18:30, local time (13:30, Beijing time). The officers and men of the "Zheng He" ship held a grand welcome ceremony for Tupou VI in accordance with the rules of naval etiquette.

In a VIP room of the "Zheng He" ship, Liao Shining, commander of the ship's voyage and visits around the globe and deputy chief of staff of the PLA Navy, briefed Tupou VI on the situation of the ship's voyage and visits around the globe and the oceangoing practical training of the Chinese and foreign cadets on the ship.

Tupou VI expressed that the visit of the "Zheng He" ship will further promote and deepen the mutual trust and friendship between the two countries and the two militaries.

Wang Donghua, Chinese ambassador to Tonga, representatives of staff of the Chinese Embassy in Tonga, China-funded institutions, Chinese nationals and overseas Chinese, Tongan military officers and local officials and staff of embassies of countries concerned in Tonga were present at the deck reception of the "Zheng He" ship.