Chinese Navy Hospital Ship "Peace Ark" Undertakes Its First Overseas Mission

Xinhua News Agency, Qingdao, July 22 (Reporters Li Bingxuan, Li Jie) The Chinese Navy hospital ship "Peace Ark" set sail from a military port in Qingdao, Shandong on July 22, heading to Africa and South Asia to carry out the "Harmonious Mission-2026" task.

This is the first overseas mission for the "Peace Ark" hospital ship, aimed at enhancing traditional friendship and pragmatic cooperation between China and relevant countries, providing more public safety products to the international community, better implementing the global security initiative, and serving to build a maritime community with a shared future.

The maritime hospital carrying out the mission is primarily composed of the North Theater Command Navy, along with medical support forces from the Navy Medical University and the Joint Logistics Support Force. The hospital ship has 18 clinical departments, 5 auxiliary departments, and 8 standard operating rooms, capable of conducting over 60 types of examinations, treatments, and surgeries in general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, and more. An onboard rescue helicopter is equipped to perform emergency medical rescue missions.

The "Harmonious Mission" task is a humanitarian medical service mission led by the Chinese Navy, which has completed 11 missions since 2010. The earlier missions were undertaken by the "Peace Ark" hospital ship, while the 11th mission was carried out by the "Silk Road Ark" hospital ship.

"Harmonious Mission-2026" is the 12th mission, undertaken by the third 10,000-ton ocean-going hospital ship "Peace Ark," which was independently designed and built by China. The mission is planned to last over 200 days, visiting countries such as Djibouti to provide free medical services to local residents.