Foreign and Military Affairs

Chinese navy sail for escort missions in Gulf of Aden

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-29 20:35

BEIJING - The ninth group of Chinese escort ships will set sail from Zhanjiang in Guangdong province on July 2 for the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia on an escort mission, China Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said Wednesday.

Yang told reporters during a press briefing that the new task force will comprise the destroyer, Wu Han, and frigate, Yu Lin, as well as the supply ship, Qinghaihu.

Yang said Chinese navy fleets had escorted 3,953 ships from countries all over the world by Wednesday. Among the escorted ships 47 percent were foreign commercial ships, he added.

Yang said Chinese navy fleets had rescued 40 ships chased by pirates to date.