Chinese Navy Ships to Visit Hawaii Sunday

By Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (NNS) -- Three People's Liberation Army-Navy [PLA(N)] ships are expected to visit Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Dec. 13-17.

CNS Jinan (DDG 152), CNS Yiyan (FFG 548), and CNS Qiandaohu (AOE 886) are expected to arrive in the morning Dec. 13. This routine port visit will give Chinese sailors an opportunity to interact with their U.S. counterparts and demonstrate parity and reciprocity between two maritime nations.

Foreign Navy ships come to Pearl Harbor-Hickam regularly for scheduled port visits. In recent months Pearl Harbor-Hickam was visited by the PLA(N) ship Zheng He, by a ship from Bangladesh, and several times by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels.

As part of a planned series of military-to-military exchanges between the two nations, the ships will be hosted by USS Preble (DDG 88), USS Chosin (CG 65), and USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93). Chinese and U.S. naval officers will conduct dialogues to build confidence and mutual understanding.

The Chinese ships will be met by Rear Adm. John Fuller, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, Capt. Stanley Keeve, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and Capt. Kevin Brand, commanding officer of USS Chosin.

American and Chinese sailors plan to engage in deckplate level events including touring each other's ships and participating in sporting activities. Receptions aboard the PLA(N) vessels and USS Preble are also planned.

The last port visit by PLA(N) ships to Pearl Harbor-Hickam was in October 2015.

The U.S. Navy is committed to continued engagement to improve mutual understanding, build trust, enhance transparency, and reduce the risk of misperceptions and miscalculations.