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Chinese navy starts visit to Morocco
The 13th EscortTaskforce of the Chinese navy on Tuesday arrived in Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco, beginning a five-day visit to the country.
The visit by the escorttaskforce, composed of two frigates and one supply ship, is the first of its kind made to the nation by a Chinese naval fleet, said Li Xiaoyan, commander of the escorttaskforce.
During the visit, Li will meet Morocco's navy officers and government officials and introduce the Chinese navy's anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia for more than four years.
Further, cultural and sports activities, including a deck reception and a basketball match, are planned between the Chinese navy and the Moroccan military.
The 13th EscortTaskforce had been conducting China's convoy tasks for a four-month period in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia before it departed from the region on March 18 for nation- visiting tasks.
Currently, the 14th EscortTaskforce is undertaking the convoy tasks in the region.
Morocco is the third leg of the escorttaskforce's nation- visiting agenda. After concluding its visit to Morocco, the taskforce will head for Portugal and France.
The taskforce has previously visited Malta and Algeria.
The visits are aimed at enhancing the Chinese navy's exchanges and cooperation with more foreign nations.
Chinese warships have undertaken anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia since December 2008. To date, the Chinese navy has succeeded in escorting more than 5,000 merchant ships.
相关新闻：中国海军第13批护航编队9日抵达摩洛哥卡萨布兰卡港，开始对摩洛哥进行为期5天的正式友好访问。这是中国海军舰艇编队首次访问摩洛哥。
摩洛哥海军在码头举行了隆重的欢迎仪式。中国驻摩洛哥大使馆临时代办李津津、武官李琰文、摩洛哥海军官兵、当地各界人士以及中资机构、华人华侨和留学生代表数百人到码头迎接。
据中国海军第13批护航编队指挥员李晓岩少将介绍，第13批护航编队自去年11月9日起航以来，在亚丁湾、索马里海域成功完成了37批次、166艘商船的护航任务。
访问期间，编队官兵将与摩洛哥海军官兵开展文体活动和护航研讨交流，并与孔子学院的摩洛哥学生展开互动活动。此外，中国舰艇还将作为“卡萨布兰卡建港百年庆典系列活动”的组成部分向摩洛哥公众开放。李晓岩还将分别拜会摩洛哥军方高级官员和地区行政长官。
摩洛哥是这次中国海军舰艇编队出访行程中的第三站。此前，编队对马耳他和阿尔及利亚进行了友好访问。编队还将赴葡萄牙和法国继续访问。
被誉为“北非花园”的摩洛哥与中国的友好关系历史悠久。1958年11月1日，摩洛哥与中国建交，成为继埃及之后第二个与中国建交的非洲国家。
n. 合作，协作
