China’s Peace Ark to Provide a Week’s Free Medical Assistance in Fiji
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Wednesday 25 July 2018 | 11:00
160805-N-AI605-055 PEARL HARBOR (AUG 05, 2016) Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark (866) departs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following the conclusion of Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in RIMPAC from June 30 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2016 was the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy Photo By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rebecca Wolfbrandt/RELEASED)
Peace Ark, a hospital ship of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy is visiting Fiji for the second time in four years in two weeks.
Yang Zhaohui, charge d’affaire of the Chinese embassy said the visit will consolidate and strengthen the traditional friendship between China and South Pacific countries.
The floating hospital will be at the Suva Wharf from August 2-9, 2018.
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The ship was in Fiji in 2014 then left for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea before returning to China after successfully completing its medical assistance mission in four countries in the South Pacific.
In 2014, after finishing the “Rim of the Pacific - 2014” (RIMPAC - 2014) joint military exercise, the Peace Ark hospital ship sailed from Hawaii, to four countries, including Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea for a visit and medical assistance mission.
During the 2014 mission, the Peace Ark hospital ship provided a series of medical services including health physical check, outpatient service, as well as medical exchange and cooperation.
It provided outpatient services for 22,211 persons/times, auxiliary examination such as CT and DR for 10,268 persons/times, and successfully performed 212 operations at the four South Pacific island countries it visited.
Shen Hao, the then commander of the “Harmonious Mission - 2014”, had said that the four-nation medical assistance mission in the South Pacific demonstrated China’s role as a responsible power and the PLA’s positive attitude to safeguard peace and caring for life.
Meanwhile Mr Yang is encouraging Fijians to make use of the free medical services next week.
“The ship will provide humanitarian health services to the people and they expect to serve 400 outpatients each day during their visit,” Mr Yang said.
“Serving as a peace messenger, the Peace Ark embodies China’s new security concept with peace, development and cooperation,” he said.
The vessel is calling into selected ports in the South Pacific and has visited Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. It is currently in Tonga and leaves for Fiji early next week.
With a full-load displacement of over 14,000 tons, Peace Ark, commissioned in 2008, is equipped with some 300 beds, eight operating rooms, and more than 200 types of medical devices including Computed Tomography (CT), color ultrasonic, and automatic biochemistry analyzer.
