# Strait of Magellan

Beijing’s White-Ship Diplomacy: The ‘Silk Road Ark’ and China’s Global Maritime Ambitions

The Chinese Navy’s hospital ship Silk Road Ark has completed a 234-day mission across the Pacific and Atlantic, providing medical aid to over 26,000 people. This mission, which included a historic transit of the Strait of Magellan, highlights Beijing's use of medical diplomacy to expand its maritime influence and presence in the Global South.