Djibouti - Aug 11, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship, Auspicious Ark, approaching, officers, soldiers at support base welcoming vessel
2. Various of flags, crew on vessel
3. Various of officers, soldiers at support base welcoming vessel
4. Various of crew on vessel waving hands, vessel approaching
5. Various of vessel arriving at support base

FILE: At Sea - 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
6. Various of vessel sailing, soldiers, helicopters, medics in exercise

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy hospital ship, Auspicious Ark, arrived at the PLA support base in Djibouti on Tuesday morning for a technical stop as part of the "Mission Harmony-2026", its first overseas humanitarian medical mission.

The ship arrived at the base at around 07:00 local time, where it was welcomed by staff from the Chinese Embassy in Djibouti, troops stationed at the support base, and representatives from the 48th Chinese naval escort taskforce, which is conducting escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

During the technical stop, the hospital ship will take on fuel, food and other supplies. It will also provide medical services to personnel from both the Djibouti support base and the 48th escort taskforce.

Since setting sail on July 22, the team has conducted a series of drills, including counter-terrorism and anti-piracy exercises, helicopter flight checks, maritime medical rescue, and reconnaissance and evidence-gathering training.

These exercises are designed to enhance its emergency response capabilities and ensure that both personnel and equipment remain in optimal condition for the missions ahead.

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.