The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship, Auspicious Ark, deployed for Mission Harmony-2026, made a technical stop at the PLA's support base in Djibouti on Tuesday local time, where it is scheduled to provide medical services. A Chinese expert said that in addition to addressing the healthcare challenges facing Chinese military personnel stationed overseas, the ship can extend humanitarian medical assistance locally, thereby demonstrating China's commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities through concrete actions.

The ship moored at the dock of the PLA support base in Djibouti at around 7 am, with mission personnel waving to those who came to greet them onshore. Staff from the Chinese Embassy in Djibouti, service members stationed at the support base, and representatives from the 48th Chinese Naval Escort Taskforce attended the welcome ceremony, according to a release from China's Ministry of National Defense on Wednesday.

During the technical stop, the ship will replenish supplies including food and fuel and provide medical treatment for troops stationed at the support base as well as service members of the escort taskforce, according to the release.

According to a video clip released by China Central Television (CCTV) at noon on Wednesday, the Type 052D destroyer Tangshan from the 48th Chinese Naval Escort Taskforce is also currently docked at Djibouti.

Commissioned in 2025, the newest Auspicious Ark is equipped with virtually all the sophisticated medical equipment found in a top-tier hospital, enabling it to provide effective, professional medical care across a variety of operational settings. It has since taken part in several maritime medical support exercises, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Equipped with 18 clinical departments and five auxiliary diagnostic units, the ship is capable of performing more than 60 types of medical examinations, treatments and procedures spanning general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology and more. Its eight onboard standard operating rooms support simultaneous surgeries, while an onboard helicopter enhances its emergency medical rescue capabilities, per Xinhua.

The Chinese hospital ship maintains a standard of diagnosis and treatment equivalent to that of a tertiary hospital, the top of China's grade hospital system, enabling it to accurately diagnose and treat the ailments of military personnel deployed overseas, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Given Djibouti's harsh climatic environment, the ship's stopover there also reflects the care extended to military personnel stationed overseas, Song added. He said he expects the PLA to send hospital ships to the PLA Support Base in Djibouti on a regular basis.

Mission Harmony-2026, the 12th iteration of Mission Harmony since 2010, is scheduled to last over 200 days, during which the ship will visit multiple African and South Asian countries to provide free medical services to local populations, Xinhua reported.

Since setting sail on July 22, the task force has conducted a series of drills covering counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations, helicopter-borne maritime medical evacuation, reconnaissance and evidence collection. These exercises are designed to bolster emergency response capabilities and ensure personnel and equipment remain in optimal condition, according to China's Ministry of National Defense.

The current security situation in the Middle East remains precarious, with the potential to spill over into Africa. In this context, the present mission is well positioned to provide timely rescue and relief operations in the event of regional contingencies, Song said. With the Ebola virus still rampant across parts of Africa, the Chinese hospital ship could also provide humanitarian medical support whenever public health crises emerge in neighboring countries, he added.

These tangible efforts exemplify China's commitment to upholding global responsibility and conveying goodwill through practical, peace-oriented actions, according to Song.

Mission Harmony is an overseas humanitarian medical service program organized by the PLA Navy. This initiative aims to enhance traditional friendship and pragmatic cooperation between China and relevant countries, provide the international community with more public security products, better implement the Global Security Initiative, and contribute to building a maritime community with a shared future, according to a prior statement from China's Ministry of National Defense.