While the Chinese government owned Ramu nickel mine in Papua New Guinea is on hold following a court injunction preventing the construction of a marine mine watste dumping system, the Chinese have announced an unprecedented naval flotila will visit PNG later this year.
The ship formation of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will consist of the “Zhenghe” training ship and the “Mianyang” guided-missile frigate and will pay a visit to five south pacific countries including Papua New Guinea from late July to late October.
“The aim of the visit is to strengthen the pragmatic exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese military and the navies of the five south pacific countries and develop the friendly relations,” said by an officer of the Information Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China.
The Chinese naval ship formation will make its first visit to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Tonga during this trip. Besides, the formation will invite two midshipmen from the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy to board the Chinese ships to sail together during its voyage between Auckland of New Zealand to Sydney of Australia. The four midshipmen will eat, live, go through training, work and enjoy recreational activities together with the Chinese midshipmen, so as to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between them.
It is said that the training ships and the combat ships of the PLA navy had visited foreign countries independently before, but it is the first time for them to visit foreign countries in mixed formation. Through this kind of formation, the midshipmen of the naval academies can broaden their horizons and enhance their abilities while accomplishing their ocean-going training.
Rear Admiral Leng Zhenqing, deputy chief of staff of the PLA Navy, will be the commander of the visiting formation.
Papua New Guinea Mine Watch 
“pragmatic exchanges”?????
This sounds Chinese Invasion, PNG is now crippled with our Govt signing every deal and getting bribes. Big brother decived so that the small brothers will submitt under the bad decision so the Pacific island nations will be exploited.
Why should we allow them-they’re here to take away our natural resources.
Ramu Nickel Mine-MCC is NOT welcomed by the the people of pNG but the Corrupt Govt of somare.