Naval fleet visits three Asian nations 
    ZHANJIANG, Guangdong, Nov. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- A fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy left here Tuesday for a visit to Pakistan, India and Thailand.

    The naval fleet, composed of a Shenzhen missile destroyer and a Weishanhu depot ship, is expected to hold joint military drills, the first ever by the Chinese navy in alien sea areas, with navies of the three nations.

    Sources with the fleet said the drills will focus on items in non-traditional areas, such as joint search-and-rescue exercises.

    Passing four straits, the fleet is expected to enter the Arabian Sea via northern the part of the Indian Ocean. The whole voyage is almost 10,000 sea miles and the sail will last more than 40 days.

    Destroyer Shenzhen, China's self-developed missile destroyer, has visited 11 nations in four previous trips. Weishanhu paid its maiden tour to foreign lands, sources said.
 

source:xinhuanet