HANGZHOU -- Chinese naval hospital ship "Peace Ark" set sail on Monday for a humanitarian medical mission in Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and East Timor.

This is the first time a Chinese naval vessel will visit Kiribati and Solomon Islands, and carry out humanitarian medical services there.

According to the plan, the hospital ship will dock at one port in each country, providing week-long medical services free of charge for local people, personnel from Chinese institutions and overseas Chinese.

Exchanges and professional seminars with relevant countries will also be conducted as part of this mission.

The hospital ship has 126 medical staffers, and boasts 26 clinical departments and 7 auxiliary departments. It is capable of carrying out more than 40 kinds of examinations, treatments, and operations in general surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology and other disciplines.

"Peace Ark" is the first standard ocean-going maritime hospital independently designed and built by China. Since its entry into service in 2008, the hospital ship has visited 43 countries and regions, provided medical services for more than 250,000 patients and performed more than 1,500 surgeries on voyages covering over 260,000 nautical miles.