A Chinese naval fleet left the southern Pakistani port of Karachi on Thursday morning following a three-day friendly visit to Pakistan.

The Chinese fleet of a Shenzhen missile destroyer and a Weishanhu ocean supplier was piloted out of the Karachi port by a Pakistani destroyer.

Those present at the sent-off ceremony by the shipside were Pakistani Comcoast Rear Admiral Iftikhar Ahmed, Chinese Consul General in Karachi Sun Chunye and Military Attache at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad Li Mengyan.

During their stay in Karachi, the Chinese navy visiting group, led by Rear Admiral Han Linzhi, received warm welcome by their Pakistani counterpart and the local people. The group visited the museum, the shipyard, the training base and the college of the Pakistani navy.

The group also laid a wreath to the tomb of the Pakistani founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Pakistani naval officers visited the Shenzhen missile destroyer and the Weishanhu ocean supplier and had a get-together on the Shenzhen missile destroyer on Tuesday.

The two navies had friendly games of football and basketball.

After leaving Karachi, the two navies are to hold their first-ever joint exercises in the Arabian sea, mainly in areas of search and rescue.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2005)