PLA Navy welcomes two French warships to Shanghai
Two French warships docked in Shanghai, which diplomats said marked the first visit to the mainland by French naval vessels since 2013.
Two French warships docked in Shanghai yesterday, which diplomats said marked the first visit to the mainland by French naval vessels since 2013.
The Dixmude, which serves as a helicopter carrier, and the frigate Aconit pulled into port at a naval base in northern Shanghai yesterday morning, greeted by Chinese military officers waiting on the dock with flowers and a band.
The visit marks the 10th time French naval ships have come to Shanghai, the PLA Navy said in a statement.
"We want to know each other better," said Captain Pierre de Briancon, commanding officer of the Dixmude. "It's one of our strategic partners."
The Dixmude came from Singapore, and will stay in Shanghai for a week.
Both vessels are part of a larger mission, Jeanne d'Arc 2015, which is taking the group from the Indian Ocean and also the South China Sea and Sea of Japan over five months.