China's 19th convoy fleet arrived Sunday in Istanbul, Turkey, to start a five-day friendly visit to the country.
Sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, the fleet is comprised of the missile frigates Linyi and Weifang, as well as the supply ship Weishanhu.
The Chinese warships and navy officers were greeted by the Chinese ambassador to Turkey, Turkish navy officers, and representatives from Chinese groups in Turkey.
The Chinese Navy soldiers will meet with their Turkish counterparts and hold a series of programs, including a friendly basketball match. The Turkish navy soldiers will also visit the Weifang missile frigate.
The 19th convoy fleet left Qingdao, in east China's Shandong province, December 2, 2014. It has since conducted 35 escort missions. It also helped to evacuate 897 people, of 16 nationalities, from Yemen and recently took part in a joint China-Russia drill.