SANYA - A People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet returned to its base in South China's Hainan province after completing a 16-day drill Wednesday morning.

The fleet's four ships covered 5,000 nautical miles in the South China Sea and West Pacific during the drill, according to navy sources.

The fleet conducted training missions involving long-distance strikes, anti-missle and anti-submarine maneuvers and landing, fleet commander Jiang Weilie said.

The fleet visited several islets in the South China Sea and patrolled the southernmost reefs of the Nansha Islands during the drill.