Fiji military band performs to welcome the Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace, at the port of Suva Harbour, Suva, Fiji, on Aug. 2, 2018. (Xinhua/Jiang Shan)

SUVA, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama hailed on Monday night the visit by the Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace, which has been here for an eight-day visit and provides humanitarian medical service in the South Pacific Island nation.

At the invitation of the commanders of the Chinese naval hospital ship, which is on Mission Harmony - 2018, Bainimarama came onboard to visit the medical staff and joined the deck reception hosted by the Ark Peace. He also inspected the honor guard of the ship, which arrived in Fiji last Thursday.

Bainimarama lauded the ship's second visit to provide free medical service to Fijians, saying that this will further strengthen the traditional friendship between the two peoples while showing the world the good relationships between the two countries.

The prime minister also thanked the Chinese government and the Chinese navy for the ship's second visit to Fiji, hoping that the visit will also help bring the strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development between the two countries to a new high.

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama visits a young patient in the ward of the Chinese naval hospital ship Ark Peace in Suva, Fiji, on Aug. 4, 2018. (Xinhua/Jiang Shan)

For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo also hailed the ship's second visit to Fiji, saying that the current visit is both a journey of friendship and of peace.

Last Thursday, when the ship arrived in Suva, Bainimarama met with the commanders of Mission Harmony - 2018 and their entourage at his office.

As of Monday, the Ark Peace has completed medical consultation and treatment for 4,914 persons, auxiliary examinations for 2,533 persons, and received 25 inpatients as well as 22 cases of surgical operations.

And the medical staff of the two militaries have also conducted joint consultation and treatment, mobile medical treatment, cultural entertainment and sports competition.

Fiji is the third stop of the Ark Peace's current mission and this is also the second time for the ship to visit the South Pacific Island nation after its first successful visit four years ago.