China's Peace Ark starts assistance mission in Fiji

Peace Ark, hospital ship of China's People's Liberation Army Navy, arrived at the Fijian capital of Suva on Friday, kicking off its week-long medical assistance mission in the South Pacific island country.

Escorted by a Fijian vessel, Peack Ark, on "Mission Harmony- 2014", steadily steered into Suva's Kings Wharf under dazzling sunshine, greeted by a joyous crowd waving Chinese and Fijian national flags, and by a Fijian military band that not only played cheerful music but also got on a dancing spree.

Brig. Gen. Mohammed Aziz, chief-of-staff of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, received Peace Ark at the Kings Wharf, welcoming the Chinese hospital ship on behalf of Fijian President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and the military, expressing the Fijian side's gratitude and appreciation towards China's humanitarian medical assistance.

Shen Hao, deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet of the Chinese Navy and commander of "Mission Harmony-2014", briefed Aziz on the Chinese hospital ship and the medical assistance mission, saying that he believes the friendly visit will realize the genuine wish and goal of deepening understanding, promoting friendship and boosting development.

Peack Ark has started treating Fijian patients for free and the humanitarian medical mission lasts for one week in Fiji.

Fiji is the second stop of "Mission Harmony-2014", which has just seen the diagnosing and treatment of over 4,000 patients in Tonga. Peace Ark is expected to visit Vanuatu as well as Papua New Guinea after competing the medical mission in Fiji.

With a full-load displacement of 14,220 tonnes, Peack Ark, commissioned in 2008, is equipped with some 300 beds, eight operating rooms and over 200 types of medical devices including CT, color ultrasonic, automatic biochemistry analyzer, etc.