QINGDAO, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese navy task force sailed into Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province on Saturday after wrapping up visits to Australia and New Zealand.

　　The formation, which consists of a guided missile destroyer "Harbin" and a comprehensive depot ship "Hongzehu" from the North China Sea Fleet, sailed 13,903 sea miles (about 25,610 km) in 54 days since it departed from the Qingdao Port on Sept. 10, according to Rear Admiral Zhang Xuezeng, deputy chief of staff of the North China Sea Fleet of the Navy force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China.

　　During the visits, the two ships carried out a joint search and rescue exercise in the Tasman Sea of the Pacific Ocean together with ships and aircraft from Australia and New Zealand.

　　The Chinese ships also carried out drills of communications, deep-sea replenishment, carrier plane transportation and contingency deployment.

　　During the formation's visits to Sydney, Auckland and Wellington, Chinese navy officers and soldiers carried out exchanges with their foreign counterparts. The two Chinese naval ships received 28,700 visits from local people.