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PLA Navy Ships Bring Friendship to Guam

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031104-02

Release Date: 11/4/2003 8:49:00 AM

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas Public Affairs

APRA HARBOR, Guam (NNS) -- Two People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy ships visited Apra Harbor, Guam, Oct. 22, for a historic three-day port visit.

Sailors from the guided-missile destroyer Shenzen (DDG 167) and oiler Qinghai Hu (AO 885), representing the People's Republic of China, took the opportunity to interact with U.S. Sailors.

"I had some stereotypes that they were a lot more rigid, but the people we talked to here were very relaxed and open," said Chief Gunner's Mate (SW) Alfred Ray, small-arms instructor for host ship USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), after a tour of Shenzhen. "They're like us - we're all just sailors."

Chancellorsville arrived with the PLA navy ships from its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, to serve as the host ship and also offered Chinese sailors the opportunity to tour an American cruiser.

"The ship is very beautiful," said Qinghai Hu Lt. Hon Yang, after the tour. "It's the first time for me to come to Guam, and Guam is a very beautiful place."

The visit mirrored the September port visit of USS Cowpens (CG 63) and USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) to Zhanjiang, China. The Cowpens-Vandegrift port visit was the U.S. Navy's first visit to Zhanjiang, and the Shenzen-Qinghai Hu visit to Guam was a first for the PLA navy, as well. During both visits, Chinese and American sailors interacted via several events, including athletic competition.

According to Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Maria Iraheta, a member of USS Frank Cable's (AS 40) soccer team, sports are a great way to further competition and friendship between different communities.

"There's no color when you play sports," Iraheta said, after scoring the first goal of the American-Chinese soccer game Oct. 23. "It's a sport - we play for fun."

During the Guam port visit, sailors competed in soccer, basketball and a tug-of-war competition.

"It was tougher than I thought it was going to be," said Yeoman 1st Class Anthony Shacher, a tug-of-war team member from Personnel Support Activity Detachment Guam. "I think the competition is good. We build camaraderie between two nations, and we should do it more often."

The two nations joined together again that night with a joint band concert with the 7th Fleet Band and the PLA Navy Band at the Outrigger Guam Resort in Tumon, Guam.

"We may be from different countries, but the music we play is all the same," said Lt. Mike Grant. "We all have the same love of music."

"I think it's great that we do things like this to bolster our relations and understanding of each other," said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF) Craig Hollinger of Naval Hospital Guam. "It will have a very positive influence the next time we meet a Chinese ship in open water or a foreign port, because we have a better understanding of them, and they have a better understanding of us."