Chinese citizens queue up to board a Chinese navy vessel in Aden Harbor, Yemen, March 29, 2015. China is withdrawing hundreds of citizens from Yemen with the help of Chinese warships, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Monday. Hua told a daily press briefing that China has already moved 122 citizens from Yemen to Djibouti. (Xinhua/Xiong Libing)
China's Ministry of Defense (MOD) said Tuesday that Chinese warships have finished evacuating the country's nationals from conflict-torn Yemen.
Geng Yansheng, MOD spokesman, said a total of 571 Chinese nationals and 8 foreign employees of Chinese enterprises have been safely evacuated from Yemen to Djibouti. They will take civilian flights to return home.
The People's Liberation Army Navy fleet on an escort mission in the Gulf of Aden was ordered to carry out the evacuation.
With the support of Chinese embassies, the Linyi missile frigate arrived in the Port of Aden in Yemen Sunday night, where it retrieved 122 Chinese nationals and two foreign employees of Chinese enterprises. It arrived at the Port of Djibouti early Monday.
The Weifang missile frigate and Weishanhu supply ship evacuated 449 Chinese nationals and six foreign employees of Chinese enterprises in Yemen's Port of Hodeidah Monday afternoon and have arrived at the Port of Djibouti.
The three Chinese naval ships will return to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to continue the escort mission, Geng added.
Geng thanked the public for its support and attention to the evacuation, adding that the military will work to protect people's safety.
