GEORGE TOWN: The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) training vessel Po Lang arrived in Penang, docking at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal.
According to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN)'s Facebook page, a crew of 15 KLD Tunas Samudera (KLD TSA), led by Commander Azmi Abu Zarin visited the Po Lang yesterday.
The executive visit was part of the Po Lang's operational visit to Malaysia from Wednesday until tomorrow.
The KLD TSA crew was welcomed by Po Lang's Commander Ma Wenyong and his crew.
The visit included a briefing on the upper deck, followed by discussions on shared experiences, maritime operations knowledge, ship handling and training management.
"The visit is believed to open opportunities for more coordinated cooperation regarding ship training in the future, while promoting harmony and the ongoing commitment of both navies to strengthen diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China," it said.
Po Lang, which arrivedfrom Colombo, Sri Lanka, is an 86m-long training vessel on a voyage across several countries. Its next destination is Singapore.
Earlier this month, Chinese naval training ship Qi Jiguang and amphibious dock landing ship Jinggangshan arrived at the Penang port here as part of a three-day goodwill visit.
Speculation, however, arose over the visit after Chinese navy cadets visited SM Chung Ling (Persendirian) for sports and cultural activities.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said these visits did not violate any national regulation and were approved by the Defence Ministry.
He said the Foreign Ministry only provided diplomatic clearance for the ships to enter Malaysian waters .
The diplomatic request from the Chinese embassy to visit schools with Confucian-based teachings and other sites was also handled by the authorities.
On Oct 14, Russian navy ships — RFS Gromkiy (335), RFS Rezkiy (343), RFS Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339) and Pechenga — docked at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal.