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Bangladeshi naval vessel arrives in Qingdao, a port city in east China's Shandong province, April 19, 2009, to attend an international fleet review on April 23 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. [Xinhua] |
QINGDAO -- China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) kicked off a grand maritime ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of its navy at 6 p.m. Monday off the coast of the eastern city of Qingdao, Shandong province.
PLA Navy Commander Admiral Wu Shengli announced the start of the four-day festivities, which would include seminars, a sampan race and a fleet parade.
A total of 21 naval vessels from 14 other countries and delegations from 29 foreign countries will join the parade.
The PLA Navy was founded on April 23, 1949 with nine warships and 17 boats obtained after a unit of the Kuomintang's second coastal defense fleet defected to the PLA.
