By Wu Ping and Li Yinchuan

CHABAHAR, Iran, Jan. 2 -- The Chinese navy's guided-missile destroyer Xining (Hull 117) sailed out of the Chabahar Port in southern Iran on December 30, 2019, local time, after completing the four-day China-Russia-Iran joint naval exercise.

The trilateral joint naval exercise was held in the waters of the Gulf of Oman from December 27 to 30, 2019. This was the first time that the three nations have conducted joint naval exercise.

The exercise was divided into two stages: in-port and on-shore stage, and maritime operations stage. The participating forces were composed of 14 vessels of various types, including the guided-missile destroyer Xining (Hull 117) of the Chinese PLA Navy, the Neustrashimyy-class frigate “Yaroslav Mudry” attached to the Russian Baltic Fleet, and Iranian Navy frigate Alborz, along with four aircraft.

On December 27, the participating vessels of the 3 navies went into place and conducted preparation exchanges at the Chabahar Port.

On December 28, the vessels unmoored for the exercise waters, marking the beginning of the actual-combat maritime exercise. After the drill of light weapons shooting, the joint formation of the three navies completed the task of rescuing a simulated hijacked merchant vessel, under the support and cover of each other’s air and surface forces, and also with the close coordination of the special operations soldiers.

During the exercise, the naval vessels further carried out other subject training, including maneuver in formation, light signaling communication, and night navigation and steaming.

On December 29, a fleet review of the participating vessels was held.

Then the participants held a summing-up meeting at the Chabahar Port on the morning of December 30, 2019.

The trilateral exercise has aimed to deepen the exchanges and cooperation among the navies, and demonstrate the good will and ability of the three parties in jointly safeguarding world peace and maritime security and proactively building a "maritime community with a shared future".