Aerial photo taken on Jan. 28, 2022 shows relief supplies being transferred onto a ship waiting to depart for Tonga, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (Photo by Yin Zheng/Xinhua)

 
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy flotilla carrying disaster relief supplies that departed from China late last month will arrive in Tonga soon, and the sailors are adjusting plans to unload the supplies based on the changing situation of the port to be visited, Chinese state broadcaster reported on Monday.

Since their departure from South China's Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on January 31, the Type 071 amphibious dock landing ship Wuzhishan and the Type 901 comprehensive supply ship Chaganhu have overcome challenging rough seas, the China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

With the upcoming arrival, the PLA Navy sailors are adjusting and optimizing plans to unload the supplies based on the changing situation of the port, and are having courses about epidemic prevention and control, the CCTV report said.

The Type 071 amphibious dock landing ship excels at transporting equipment and supplies, and even if the port cannot be used, the ship can still dispatch air-cushioned landing craft and helicopters to deliver the cargo, a Beijing-based military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday.

The relief supplies are estimated to weigh more than 1,400 tons, and they include mobile homes, tractors, electric generators, medical equipment, food, and other essential goods. All items were disinfected before being loaded.

This will be the second batch of relief supplies to Tonga. On January 28, two Y-20 large transport aircraft of the PLA Air Force arrived in the South Pacific nation, delivering 33 tons of supplies including food, fresh water, water purifiers and tents.

A massive underwater volcano erupted in Tonga on January 15, triggering a deadly tsunami, covering the archipelago in ash, and knocked out local communication infrastructure.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense, announced on January 26 that the PLA Air Force and the PLA Navy would send aircraft and vessels at Tonga's request for volcanic eruption disaster relief.

The missions would display the PLA's international responsibilities and its nature as a force for peace, analysts said.