(ECNS)-- The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) hospital ship "Ark Peace" is carrying out Mission Harmony-2024 scheduled from mid-June 2024 to mid-January 2025, providing humanitarian medical services to visiting countries.
The ship arrived in Angola on Wednesday, the sixth stop of its mission following a goodwill visit to South Africa on Aug. 29.
It visited Angola in 2017 as part of the Mission Harmony and will provide medical services during a 7-day friendly visit.
In South Africa, it provided medical services to 3,700 people and sent a team of experts to local hospitals.
During its 7-day friendly visit from July 16 to July 23 in Tanzania, the hospital ship provided medical care to over 8,000 patients and conducted more than 80 surgeries.
A baby weighing 3 kg was born on the ship, becoming the first "peace baby" for this year's mission. It was the Ark Peace's third visit to Tanzania.
This is the 12th overseas mission for Ark Peace since its commissioning and a solid step taken by the PLAN to implement the Global Security Initiative and contribute to the building of a maritime community with a shared future, according to Chinese defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang.