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2nd batch of warships head to Somali seas

By Cui Xiaohuo (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-03 09:22

ZHANJIANG, Guangdong: Naval commanders yesterday said the patrolling mission in Somali waters had entered a "stage of orderly replacement and normalization" as they flagged off the second batch of Chinese warships to rotate the current anti-piracy fleet in the Gulf of Aden.

The fleet, comprising of well-traveled destroyer Shenzhen and one-year-old frigate Huangshan, set sail yesterday morning from western Guangdong's Zhanjiang - headquarters of the South China Sea Fleet and a major Chinese harbor - in front of senior naval commanders, officers as well as the family members of the sailors.

"Security situations in the Somali waters are still challenging and unpredictable, so the replacing fleet will face an even more difficult task," said Admiral Wu Shengli, commander-in-chief of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Naval sources said the second flotilla has been told to prepare for a longer mission in the troubled waters, where pirates have struck frequently in the recent past.

Yang Wei, wife of the vice-captain of the flagship destroyer Shenzhen, wiped tears off her daughter's cheeks and hers as she stood watching the warship sail away.

"It's a mix of sadness and pride seeing him leave," said the 30-year-old.

The new fleet's mission is a rare opportunity for the Chinese navy to display its comprehensive capabilities, said Major General Qi Jianguo, assistant chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army.

"The mission is a major test for the Chinese army to cope with diverse security risks and execute multitasking military operations," he said.

With two helicopters and navy special forces aboard, the two warships will replace destroyers Wuhan and Haikou while joining China's biggest supply ship Weishanhu after a 10-day journey into Somali waters.

The current fleet will embark on its return once its replacement arrives.

China sent warships on Dec 26 last year to conduct its first overseas military mission since 1949 in a bid to protect Chinese merchant vessels, as well as international ships.

One in five Chinese merchant ships passing through the region is attacked by pirates. A total of seven ships, either owned by China or carrying Chinese cargo and crew, have been hijacked, including the recently released Chinese fishing vessel Tianyu No 8 with 16 Chinese crew members and eight foreigners aboard.

Since starting their mission in January, the warships have escorted more than 130 vessels and rescued three foreign merchant ships from pirate attacks without any misfires, said Admiral Wu Shengli at the ceremony.

The new flotilla will traverse 4,600 nautical miles, passing the Xisha and Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, the Singapore Strait, the Strait of Malacca and the Indian Ocean before arriving in the Gulf of Aden.

Rear Admiral Yao Zhilou, who is also the vice-commander of the South China Sea Fleet, will command the mission.