LAGOS, May 30 (ChinaMil) -- Guided-missile frigate Yancheng, the commanding ship of the 28th Chinese naval escort taskforce, arrived at Lagos Port in Nigeria on May 28, local time, to participate in the 2nd Nigeria international maritime conference and regional naval exercise hosted by the Nigerian Navy.
Over 100 people including Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Zhou Pingjian and military attaché Liu Yongxuan, staff members of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, representatives of China-funded institutions and local overseas Chinese in Nigeria and Nigerian Navy personnel welcomed frigate Yancheng at the port.
After frigate Yancheng docked, Ambassador Zhou and working staff of the Chinese Embassy greeted Chinese naval officers and men onboard the frigate, which was also open for visit by the welcoming people at the port.
Rear Admiral Guo Hongwei, commander of the 28th Chinese naval escort taskforce, will attend the 2nd Nigeria international maritime conference on behalf of the Chinese Navy. The Nigeria international maritime conference and regional naval exercise were inaugurated in 2016, it is the first time that the Chinese Navy has been invited to participate in the conference and exercise in Nigeria.
Representatives from over 20 countries attend the conference, which is themed on the integrated marine strategy of the Gulf of Guinea countries. The regional naval exercise will be held in the waters near Lagos Port. Participating ships from eight countries will carry out drills of ship formation movement, naval gun firing, and maritime warning and patrol.