China's Navy Invests Heavily in Defense Diplomacy

In keeping with the massive expansion of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), a substantial increase has been seen in overseas operations - much of it devoted to defense diplomacy. The scale of activity can be illustrated by Asia-based activity noted since the beginning of October.

On October 13, the PLAN hospital ship CNS Silk Road Ark (A867) arrived in the port of Nuku'alofa in Tonga for a seven-day visit, during which its crew provided free health care. This is the fourth visit of Silk Road Ark to Tonga, and besides dispensing free health care to the civilian population, the PLAN crew on board also conducted training with the medical services of the Tonga Royal Navy. CNS Silk Road Ark has now set off for South America, though she is not expected to visit Venezuela.

Between October 19-21, the PLAN conducted joint training at sea with the Malaysian Navy off Port Klang. The PLAN Type 052D destroyer CNS Yinchuan (D175) exercised with the HDW-built Malaysian Navy Kasturi Class corvette KD Lekir (F26), primarily carrying out helicopter and search and rescue drills. At the same time, Type 071 landing ship CNS Jinggangshan (L999) hosted a party onboard for Army units who had been conducting ground-based joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training in Puchong, Selangor.

On October 21, the PLAN's Type 052D guided-missile destroyer CNS Baotou (F113) visited Mombasa in Kenya, and conducted exchanges with the Kenyan Naval Training College and the Kenyan Navy Hospital. The Baotou is the flagship of the 47th Naval Escort Group, currently handing over its duties to the 48th Naval Escort Group at the end of a 10-month tour of duty based in Djibouti. The 47th Naval Escort Group can be expected to make a number of courtesy calls in Asia on its way back to the Zhou Shan City homeport of the PLAN's East Sea Fleet.

The PLAN's 83rd Naval Task Force, comprised of the Type 680 training ship Qi Jiguang (AX83) and the Type 071 amphibious dock landing ship Yimengshan (L988) have been making a cruise in South East Asia, setting off from Hong Kong and visiting Port Sihanouk in Cambodia (October 10-14), before arriving on October 16 to exercise with Royal Thai Navy Chinese-built Type 071 landing ship HTMS Chang (LPD-792) off Sattahip in Thailand. At the beginning of the month, the Royal Thai Air Force had completed a joint aggressor flight training exercise, in which Chinese J-10 and J-11 fighters were able to maneuver against Royal Thai Air Force Gripens. The Chinese Task Force left on October 20 and set off to visit Singapore.

The PLAN dance troupe performs aboard CNS Jinggangshan in Port Klang (Chinese Military Online)

Emphasizing their enthusiasm for defense diplomacy, when making port calls, PLAN ships seem always to have a professional dance troupe onboard, along with the means to host a party showcasing traditional Chinese music and culture. It is not clear what wartime role this crew complement serves when at sea or at action stations.