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China to host int'l conference on anti-piracy in Gulf of Aden

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-05 21:51

BEIJING: China is to host an international conference on November 6 and 7 to coordinate anti-piracy escorts in the Gulf of Aden, the Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

The conference would consider how escort missions could cover different areas in the gulf so as to coordinate effective international cooperation, said ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu at a regular news briefing.

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"China always takes a positive and open attitude towards international cooperation on shipping escorts," said Ma.

China would cooperate with all countries and organizations to achieve peace and stability in the waters off Somalia.

Ma said representatives from Russia, Japan, India, the European Union and NATO would attend the conference.

China sent three warships to the Gulf of Aden on December 26 last year in its first overseas escort mission for merchant vessels.

A new Chinese naval flotilla was deployed to the Gulf of Aden on October 30, the fourth task force of its kind.