A Chinese naval hospital ship, the Peace Ark, has begun an eight-day humanitarian mission in Mozambique, treating Mozambican patients without charge, Xinhua reports.

Chinese state-run news agency quotes a Mozambican defence official, Águeda Duarte, as saying the ship’s mission will increase co-operation between the armed forces of China and Mozambique in the field of health.

The report says the Peace Ark has eight operating rooms, 300 beds and a staff of 115 health professionals.

Since their current deployment began, the ship’s staff have treated over 30,000 patients of various nationalities and performed 166 surgical operations, Xinhua says.