military camp observation丨"silk road ark": shouldering the mission and setting sail
2024-09-23
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hello, "silk road ark"
■ lei bin, special correspondent of the people's liberation army daily
there is a special type of ship in the people's navy. it has a large displacement and strong endurance, but it does not have any naval guns or missiles, and is only equipped with various medical equipment - it is a hospital ship.
in the early 21st century, my country began to independently design and build large professional hospital ships for the sake of system construction, medical support, and offshore rescue. in 2008, the peace ark hospital ship was commissioned into the chinese navy, making my country one of the few countries in the world with professional maritime hospital ships.
16 years later, on july 10, 2024, a piece of news attracted people's attention: the southern theater command navy's new ocean-going hospital ship "silk road ark" cast off and set sail for medical rounds in the southwest sha and coastal islands and reefs of south china.
through public video materials, people got to know this "rising star" for the first time: as the second 10,000-ton ocean-going hospital ship designed and built independently by my country, it looks very similar to the "peace ark", but has a larger full-load displacement, stronger endurance, and more advanced medical equipment. at the same time, this gentle and honest "big guy" has a poetic name - "silk road ark".
the silk road carries the beautiful vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind; the ark symbolizes the lofty mission of protecting life and defending peace.
on august 7, the "silk road ark" successfully completed the "health delivery to the sea" mission and returned to its home port smoothly. the mission covered more than 3,600 nautical miles, provided medical services to more than 3,500 people, and simultaneously carried out activities such as popular science education on island disease prevention, after-sales assistance, and cultural exchanges.
"hello, 'silk road ark'!" during the voyage, the "silk road ark" was warmly welcomed by the military and civilians on the islands wherever it went, leaving behind many touching and warm moments.
they were unanimously recognized by the authorities and troops for their first mission. however, the crew members knew that compared with the long voyage, rich experience and excellent achievements of the peace ark, they still had a long way to go.
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. through this first step of a long journey, we seem to be able to glimpse its original intention and foresee its future——
one day, people will see that a ship of life, a ship of friendship and a ship of peace are traveling along the ancient “maritime silk road” route.
"silk road ark": carrying out the mission and setting sail
■he tiecheng, special correspondent of the people's liberation army daily, lei bin
the "silk road ark" hospital ship organizes maritime training. photo by ma ziheng
this is a training road.
when at sea, whether a doctor or a nurse, you are first a soldier.
in the vast ocean, islands and reefs are inlaid, shining like stars.
captain zhu of the "silk road ark" hospital ship stared at the sea chart and fell into deep thought.
in early july, the superiors notified them to prepare for sailing as soon as possible to carry out the island and reef inspection mission. at this time, captain zhu was carefully planning the route and schedule.
as a veteran who has been working and living on the sea for many years, such situations have become commonplace, especially in recent years, when the troops' missions have become more diverse, and it has become the norm to temporarily mobilize ships and leave at a moment's notice.
but this time, captain zhu was a little hesitant: this brand-new ship had been in service for less than two months, and the personnel and equipment were still in the running-in stage. could it complete this arduous task?
just as the officers and soldiers were preparing for the voyage, the southern theater command naval headquarters selected a number of key personnel to form an assistance group. at the same time, they selected elite soldiers in various fields such as medical care, cooking, law, and culture to go to sea with the ship.
the theme of this mission is "delivering health to the seas and culture to the grassroots". the first military show of the "silk road ark" has transformed from a single medical service to a full range of warmth and protection in multiple fields.
subsequently, hundreds of officers and soldiers from multiple units were ordered to assemble, board the domestically-produced new hospital ship, and head towards the deep blue sea.
unlike other warships, the hospital ship's large "belly" is filled with a variety of medical equipment. captain zhu said that this is a way to train soldiers: building combat effectiveness does not necessarily require wielding guns and cannons. the role of the hospital ship is also connected to the battlefield and is related to life and death. "when you are at sea, whether you are a doctor or a nurse, you are first a soldier."
during the entire voyage, the officers and soldiers on board organized training in subjects such as treatment of large numbers of wounded and sick soldiers, rescue of large numbers of people who fell into the water, and group-based self-rescue and mutual rescue, based on the mission of the hospital ship, and completed training assessments in multiple modules.
when the ship was about to reach an island reef, the sea conditions suddenly deteriorated and the officers and soldiers on the island could not go on board for medical treatment. after learning about this situation, the ship's party committee asked for everyone's opinions, and the officers and soldiers on board replied: "we will go wherever the patients are!"
in the end, they braved the severe weather and huge waves and sent medical personnel to the island in batches to provide medical services for the soldiers guarding the island.
apart from such special cases, more officers and soldiers on the islands and reefs boarded the "silk road ark" to experience this huge "mobile hospital on the sea". this 10,000-ton ship, in accordance with the standards of a tertiary hospital, has multiple different medical areas, is equipped with complete medical equipment, and has good comprehensive support capabilities.
the operation of such a large platform is inseparable from the efforts of every crew member. during the long voyage, the electrician team leader min jianhua led the entire team to work overtime, surveyed thousands of lines, and wrote a complete "medical equipment power guarantee manual", which effectively supported the power guarantee of medical equipment.
after arriving at the islands and reefs, many crew members went on board to serve the officers and soldiers, but some had never left the ship. they stayed at their posts, drilled into the cabins, touched the equipment, practiced their skills, and formed several sets of operating procedures.
captain zhu had always wanted to see the many islands and reefs along the route, which had beautiful scenery of the motherland's seas. however, during this mission, he had to go to each point for detailed inspection every day, and he was unable to get off the ship until the end of the voyage.
this is a heartwarming move——
across the vast ocean, our hearts are closely connected
what will happen if you stay on an island for more than 20 years?
in the eyes of diesel engine technician liu daihua, over the past 20 years, he has become more and more in tune with the equipment, his hair has become thinner, and the island has become more lush. in the eyes of doctors, over the past 20 years, the symptoms of the veterans' illnesses have gradually increased.
when the "silk road ark" visited this island, medical expert huang zhenjun met liu daihua. the two "veterans" were of similar age, and they chatted about family matters as soon as they met. liu daihua only briefly mentioned his symptoms, but he talked endlessly about the island he guarded. huang zhenjun was deeply moved by his proud look.
in an environment of high temperature, high humidity and high salt, the soldiers guarding the island age at a faster rate than ordinary people, but their hearts are as white and pure as the sea sand here.
huang zhenjun was determined to do more for his comrades on the island. during the voyage, he further understood the pathogenic characteristics of the south china sea climate, summarized the tcm syndrome differentiation of common island and reef diseases, and formulated a series of practical prescriptions. in view of the shortage of chinese herbal medicines and chinese patent medicines, he further improved the basic catalog of chinese medicines on the hospital ship.
"our comrades-in-arms are guarding the vast sea borders, and we are guarding their health." huang zhenjun threw himself into the front-line duty and became one of the doctors with the largest number of outpatient visits, the longest consultation time, and the most popular among officers and soldiers on the maiden voyage of the "silk road ark".
there was also an "unplanned" doctor who came to the soldiers' side - cui hong, a psychologist and the oldest in the entire medical team.
cui hong, who has retired, has always been concerned about the nine soldiers in the nansha islands that she has been following for a long time. when she heard that there was an opportunity to go to the islands and reefs this time, she took the initiative to apply: "i understand their situation, and i want to go to see my patients and my comrades."
that day, when the nine comrades heard the familiar voice and saw dr. cui coming specially for them, their eyes became moist and they held their hands tightly together...
on this island, it was one person going to meet a group of people; on another island, it was a group of people going to meet one person.
when the "silk road ark" arrived at an island reef, it simultaneously carried out medical rounds and art performances. within one day, the "art light cavalry" completed a tour of five combat positions. the team members were exhausted from performing under the sun. just as they were about to go back to the ship to rest, they heard that there was an old squad leader on the towering radar tower who was repairing equipment. he was the only one there.
"we're going to perform for one person. do you want to go?" the captain asked everyone's opinions, and the team members said in unison: "go! we can't leave any of our comrades behind."
the tower was originally quiet. hearing someone calling his name, veteran zhang xiaowei crawled out from the gap in the equipment and saw a group of people standing in front of him with smiles on their faces. he was so surprised that he couldn't speak. just as he was about to shake hands with everyone, he saw that he was covered in oil, so he retracted his hand and saluted.
without lights or stage design, the team members began to perform on the spot in front of the old squad leader. zhang xiaowei laughed as he watched, and then cried again.
zhang xiaowei has been guarding the island for 19 years, and he has been alone most of the time, silently guarding the radar equipment. the only sounds that accompany him are the crashing of waves and the roar of machines. he has long been accustomed to the lonely perseverance. this time, he did not expect that his comrades from the "silk road ark" would come specially for him.
"across the vast ocean, our hearts are closely connected." it was only here that the team members truly understood that the "silk road ark" not only shoulders the mission of curing diseases and saving lives, but also carries endless love and warmth.
with this understanding, the officers and soldiers visited every remote island and reef and every remote outpost.
when the silk road ark left an island, the soldiers guarding the reef ran to the dock and lined up neatly. there was no preview or rehearsal. someone in the crowd started singing "the motherland will not forget" together. the comrades waved goodbye in the loud singing until the towering watchtower gradually faded away and the beautiful reef merged into a touch of red clouds in the sky...
this is a soul-strengthening lesson——
the soldiers' patriotism and original aspirations resonate at this moment
"sunflower, sunflower, i don't seek to be everywhere, i don't seek to be praised by everyone; sunflower, sunflower, i stay alone in the world and enjoy myself..."
seeing the sunflowers, the "silk road ark" has arrived in the distant nansha islands. when huang zhenjun first met sergeant major yao wenwu, he was bending over the flowerbed, carefully watering and fertilizing.
if huang zhenjun had not known about yao wenwu's deeds in advance, it would have been difficult for him to connect the "gardener" in front of him with the "reef guard star": yao wenwu has been guarding the reef for 20 years, devoted himself to the study of electromechanical equipment, accurately eliminated major dangerous situations many times, and effectively solved more than 10 technical problems. he is a well-known "soldier expert". last year, he was recognized as an "outstanding sergeant of the whole army."
in the simple flower garden on the island, huang zhenjun heard the secret buried deep in the old soldier's heart -
when he was a child, he saw his parents always wearing their old shoes. yao wenwu had a dream: when he grew up, he would wash his parents' feet more often and buy new shoes for them. however, because he stayed on the island for many years, he didn't even see his father for the last time. when facing the decision of leaving this year, yao wenwu went home on vacation. looking at his elderly and sick mother, he couldn't say what was in his heart. he quietly bought a pair of new shoes, buried them at his father's grave, and washed his mother's feet as usual at night.
his mother understood yao wenwu's worries. she touched his head with her skinny hands and said with a smile, "guard the island well. i support you." yao wenwu burst into tears and said, "if i can't come back to see you off when you leave, please don't blame me!" he packed his backpack and left home again. when he reached the village entrance, he knelt down from a distance and kowtowed to his mother three times.
the veteran's story stirred waves in huang zhenjun's heart. when the "silk road ark" left the island, the expert group had already made a decision: to provide treatment for yao wenwu's mother with all their strength and to send the army's warmth and greetings to the veteran's home.
"only if we do our work in a truly solid and detailed manner can we live up to these lovely and respectable officers and soldiers." a team leader said that he originally thought it was just a simple work task, but he did not expect to gain so many wonderful stories and touching moments. both the organization and the troops were deeply educated.
in addition to "sending health to the sea", they also carried out a number of supporting activities such as "famous chefs go to the grassroots" and "sending lessons to islands and reefs". at the same time, they organized backbones from various industries and fields to actively respond to the welfare benefits, mental health, and rear-end support issues that the officers and soldiers are concerned about, and brought back more than 30 opinions and suggestions...
a week after the mission was completed, a themed report meeting titled "love for the islands and reefs, walking on the waves" was held at the theater naval headquarters. the stories brought back by the "silk road ark" were presented to the officers and soldiers in their original form through on-site narration and scene re-enactment.
yao wenwu also came to the scene. his story was created into a situational drama "dear mom" by the "literary light cavalry team".
after yao wenwu finished telling his story, an old man appeared at the report meeting. his name was hong jiazhu, and he was a veteran who had participated in the war. that year, he and his comrades risked their lives to charge forward and won the battle, making contributions to safeguarding the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
today, the old soldier has gray hair, but he still speaks with confidence: "back then, with us here, the reef was there; today, with you here, the reef is even more indestructible!"
on the stage, the stories of the two veterans touched people's hearts; off the stage, the eyes of the young officers and soldiers became more determined. the leader of the political work department of the navy of the theater said: "the soldiers' patriotism and their original aspirations resonate at this moment."
afterwards, they organized officers and soldiers to go to multiple units for tour reports. at the end of each report meeting, the officers and soldiers would mark the islands that the "silk road ark" passed by on the electronic screen.
they believe that everyone has a mission in their heart.
sharp point
bringing more friendly forces to maritime safety and world peace
■he tiecheng
when meeting with the heads of foreign delegations attending the multinational naval activities marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the navy, president xi pointed out that the chinese navy will, as always, strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the navies of various countries, actively fulfill its international responsibilities and obligations, ensure the safety of international waterways, and strive to provide more maritime public security products.
the ocean is a bond that promotes the exchange of civilizations and a carrier of the development of human society. promoting peace and tranquility in the ocean and building a good maritime order are in line with the long-term interests of all countries in the world and meet the general expectations of the people of the world.
the chinese nation has suffered greatly from war and knows the value of peace. the construction and development of the people's navy has always upheld the main theme of maintaining world peace and promoting win-win cooperation.
over the years, the people's navy has actively participated in such peace operations as maritime rights protection, multinational joint exercises, and humanitarian rescue. in particular, it has continuously dispatched ships to participate in escort missions in the gulf of aden and somali waters, completed escort missions for more than 7,000 chinese and foreign ships, and rescued and escorted nearly 100 ships of various types, of which more than 50% were foreign ships. it has demonstrated the good image of a peace force, a righteous force, and a civilized force with practical actions.
hospital ships, whose core functions are to treat illnesses and save lives, embody this original intention. since the beginning of history, human beings have never stopped exploring the sea. however, in the long river of history, countless people have lost their lives at sea. hospital ships, with modern technology as their sail, shoulder the sacred mission of saving the dying and healing the wounded.
in response to a reporter's question, a spokesperson for the ministry of national defense introduced that in the future, the "silk road ark" hospital ship will mainly perform four major tasks: one is to undertake medical rescue and evacuation of the wounded at sea, two is to provide medical services to residents of our islands and reefs and officers and soldiers, three is to provide international humanitarian medical services, and four is emergency medical rescue in major disasters and foreign military medical exchanges and cooperation.
such functional positioning extends the cultural connotation of the maritime silk road of "friendliness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit, symbiosis and tenacity", and also carries the beautiful vision of building a community with a shared future for the ocean.
we hope that the "silk road ark" will brave the waves of the times and bring more friendly forces to maritime security and world peace.
(source: china military network-liberation army daily)
