China navy training ship visits the Philippines

A Chinese navy training vessel berthed in the Philippines on Wednesday.

Dragon dances and a brass band greeted the 165-metre Qi Jiguang in Manila to mark its final stop on a Southeast Asian tour through Vietnam, Thailand and Brunei. The Qi Jiguang, which is larger than any Philippine warship or coastguard vessel, is the first Chinese navy ship to visit the Philippines since Ferdinand Marcos won the presidency last year.

In 2019, three more Chinese navy vessels, including two missile frigates, were welcomed to Manila by the Philippines' then defence secretary. The Qi Jiguang is in Manila until Saturday and will be open to the public for two hours each day.