QINGDAO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has been active in providing security products for the international community since its founding, a senior naval officer said Saturday.

Qiu Yanpeng, deputy commander of the navy, made the remarks at a press conference for the upcoming multinational naval events in celebration of the navy's 70th founding anniversary.

The PLA Navy is always a force of peace, and will never pose a threat to any other country, he said.

The navy has paid over 100 visits to 94 countries and 138 ports, and has held more than 60 joint military drills with foreign navies over the 70 years, according to Qiu.

Since 2008, the navy has sent 32 escort fleets, 103 vessels, 69 helicopters and more than 27,000 officers and soldiers to escort over 6,600 vessels, more than a half of which were foreign merchant ships, he continued.

Since 2010, the naval hospital ship Peace Ark has traveled to 43 countries and regions and provided free medical services to over 230,000 people, Qiu said.

In 2015, a Chinese naval vessel evacuated 621 Chinese citizens and over 270 people of other nationalities from war-torn Yemen, he added.

The Chinese Navy will continue to work hard to promote world peace, facilitate global development and safeguard the international order, while making new greater contributions to global and regional peace and stability, as well as the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, Qiu said.