BEIJING, Apr. 18 -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will host the 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) in Qingdao City, Shandong Province from April 21 to 24. The navies (maritime defense departments) from 29 countries including Australia, Cambodia, Chile, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, the ROK, Russia, the US, Pakistan and the UK will send delegations to attend the meeting.
During the event, the PLA Navy will hold a high-level workshop, which covers three sub-topics: Global Security Initiative and maritime peace and tranquility, maritime security cooperation and international law-based maritime order, and global maritime governance and shared growth through discussion and collaboration. Several foreign naval leaders will be invited to address on these topics. The Chinese naval leaders will also hold bilateral meetings with delegations from relevant countries.
China's holding of this WPNS biennial meeting exemplifies the concrete efforts of the Chinese Navy in implementing the concept of building a maritime community with a shared future, and aims to strengthen exchanges, enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation with other participating nations and make fresh and substantial contributions to jointly tackling maritime security threats and challenges and safeguarding regional peace and stability.
Meanwhile, this year also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese PLA Navy. Around April 23, the Chinese Navy will organize a series of activities in naval barracks and cities with naval troops stationed including Beijing, Qingdao, Ningbo and Zhanjiang, such as the national flag raising ceremony, the ceremony honoring the naval heroes, barracks and ships opening, and outdoor theme light display.