The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has made a good impression on its mission to protect the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters.

On March 2, a member of the special operation forces of the 11th naval escort squad of the PLA, practices drills during an escort mission on the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. [Photo by Wang Hanzong / For China Daily]

The 11th naval escort squad sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy left a port in Qingdao, a city in East China's Shandong province, on Feb 27 for an escort mission on the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect commercial ships.

It was the first time escort ships from the Chinese North Sea Fleet had taken part in the mission, since China sent its first convoy fleet to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters in December 2008.

The new fleet, including the destroyer Qingdao, the frigate Yantai and the supply ship Weishanhu, will replace a flotilla previously sent to protect ships from pirates.

On March 15 and 18, the 11th naval escort squad of the PLA finished two joint escort missions with the 10th naval escort squad of PLA. From March 21, the 11th naval escort squad was to complete its missions independently.

On March 2, crew steers a small boat to return special operations force members back to the escort ships. [Photo by Li Gencheng / For China Daily]

To date, the Chinese navy fleets have escorted over 4,500 ships from countries all over the world and have rescued and provided help for more than 50 ships.

The fleets also escorted four ships delivering humanitarian supplies for the World Food Program and provided protection to the ships and the crewmembers.

During the escort missions, Chinese naval flotillas have positively interacted with other international missions, communicated with the relevant countries and organizations, and improved their abilities in implementing multi-military missions, according to the Defense Ministry.

China Daily

On March 2, a crew member of Haikou, a destroyer of the 10th naval escort squad of the PLA, steers a small boat to transfer materials for the escort ship in waters east of the Gulf of Aden. [Photo by Li Gencheng / For China Daily]

On March 10, supply ship Weishanhu of the 11th naval escort squad of the PLA, transfers goods to the frigate Yantai. [Photo by Zhang Qun / For China Daily]

On March 2, a member of the special operation forces of the 11th naval escort squad of the PLA, practices drills during an escort mission on the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. [Photo by Wang Hanzong / For China Daily]