A Chinese naval fleet comprising missile destroyer Shijiazhuang and supply vessel Hongzehu completed its four-day goodwill visit to Ecuador on Monday, leaving port town Guayaquil and returning to China.

At about 11:00 AM local time (1600 GMT), the Ecuadorian navy held a farewell ceremony for the Chinese naval fleet. Ecuadorian navy officials, Chinese consular officials, Chinese corporate representatives, Chinese citizens dwelling overseas and ethnic Chinese arrived at the port to bid the Chinese guests farewell.

During the visit, Rear Admiral Wang Fushan, vice commander of the North Sea Fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, met with Ecuadorian Navy Commander General Aland Molestina Malta, Ecuadorian Naval Operation Commander Jorge Gross Albornoz and some local officials. At the invitation, Molestina also visited the missile destroyer Shijiazhuang.

Moreover, servicemen from the Chinese naval fleet visited Ecuador's Superior Naval College and participated in soccer and table tennis matches with Ecuadorian naval personnel. Some servicemen from the fleet also held a get-together with local Chinese citizens and ethnic Chinese.

The fleet started its South America voyage from China's port city Qingdao on October 18, successively visiting Chile, Peru and Ecuador.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2009)