PLA Navy Fleet 83 Completes 64-Day Training and Visit Mission
The People’s Liberation Army Navy Fleet 83 returned to Dalian, Liaoning Province, on August 17 after completing a 64-day long-range comprehensive training and port visit mission, according to Xinhua News. The fleet, comprising the training ship Qi Jiguang and the amphibious landing ship Kunlunshan, covered more than 11,000 nautical miles across the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan, and South China Sea.
Mission Overview
The fleet departed from a military port in Qingdao on June 15 with over 400 trainees and officers, as the Ministry of Defense reported. After completing visits to Russia and Vietnam, the fleet departed from Zhanjiang, Guangdong, on July 20 with additional trainees and officers to continue the mission, according to China News Service. The mission included terrestrial and celestial navigation training, professional fundamentals, and on-the-job apprenticeships.
A total of 970 trainees from the Naval Dalian Ship Academy, Naval University of Engineering, and Naval Submarine Academy participated in the mission, as the Ministry of Defense confirmed. In a notable display of international military cooperation, 19 foreign military personnel from 10 countries—including Brazil, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam—trained alongside Chinese trainees in mixed formations.
Diplomatic Engagements
The fleet conducted friendly visits to Russia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Indonesia, organizing four deck receptions, 16 batches of ship open days, ship visits, sports friendship matches, exchange seminars with local institutions, and cultural performances. The China News Service reported that these activities effectively enhanced mutual trust and friendship with the visited countries.
The visit to Brunei was particularly significant, coming as 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of China-Brunei diplomatic relations. The fleet’s visit was made at the invitation of the Brunei Navy, as Lianhe Zaobao noted.
The Ships
The Qi Jiguang (hull number 83) is China’s largest domestically designed professional training ship, with a full load displacement of over 9,000 tons. Nicknamed the “floating university” of the PLA Navy, it has visited nearly 30 countries and regions since its commissioning in February 2017, covering approximately 180,000 nautical miles. The Ministry of Defense described it as the largest and most modern professional training ship independently developed by China.
The Kunlunshan (hull number 998) is the lead ship of the Type 071 amphibious landing ship class, launched in December 2006 and commissioned in January 2008. With a length of 210 meters and full load displacement of approximately 20,000 tons, it has participated in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, as well as the China-Russia “Maritime Joint-2016” joint exercise.
Strategic Significance
The mission combined military training with diplomatic engagement, reflecting China’s strategy of using naval power for both capability building and soft power projection. The CCTV Military reported that the mission effectively enhanced trainees’ naval professional competence, job capability, and international perspective.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the mission promoted precise alignment between academy teaching and troop training, demonstrating the PLA Navy’s image and practicing the concept of a “maritime community with a shared future.” This reflects China’s broader approach to naval diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific region.
What’s Next
As the PLA Navy continues to expand its blue-water capabilities, missions like Fleet 83’s serve a dual purpose: developing the next generation of naval officers while strengthening international maritime cooperation. The successful completion of this 64-day voyage—crossing critical waterways including the Tsushima Strait, Taiwan Strait, and Karimata Strait—demonstrates China’s growing capacity for sustained long-range naval operations.
Observers will be watching how China builds on these diplomatic and training achievements in future naval deployments, particularly in the context of ongoing regional maritime dynamics.