Source: Xinhuanet

07-26-2007 11:17

BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) -- China's Navy Submarine College, based in Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province, has seen an expansion of its training program for civilian marine rescuers from developing countries in the past two years.

The program for developing countries was launched in 2004 when the college trained 17 officials from nine nations. Last year, 41 officials from 34 nations were trained at the college.

To meet the requirements of different countries, the college had customized courses, adding expert instruction for individuals to the courses, said Liu Dai, head of the college's overseas personnel training department.

The foreign trainees were government officials and technicians. They learned no military skills, but were trained in marine knowledge and skills for peaceful causes.

"Our mission is to make use of military equipment for civilian training," Liu said.

The college launched training courses for foreigners in 1998 and has since trained more than 200 professionals in rescue, salvage and underwater demolition, including about 90 officials from more than 40 countries.

 

Editor:Chen Ge