Photo taken on Dec. 25, 2008 shows the
Chinese Navy's supply ship Weishanhu in Sanya, capital of South China's
Hainan Province. The Chinese Navy's three-ship fleet awaiting sail to
waters off Somalia has finished its preparations for the overseas
deployment, the fleet commander said Thursday. (Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
SANYA, Hainan Province, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- The
Chinese Navy's three-ship fleet awaiting sail to waters off Somalia has finished
its preparations for the overseas deployment, the fleet commander said Thursday.
The commander, Rear-Admiral Du Jingcheng told Xinhua
aboard the Navy's DDG-171 Haikou destroyer that all crew members of the fleet
had full confidence in their ability to fulfill the escorting mission.
The Haikou together with another destroyer, DDG-169
Wuhan, and supply ship Weishanhu from the South Sea Fleet will set sail from a
port in China's southmost city of Sanya on Hainan island Friday. The fleet will
join in the multi-national patrolling of the Gulf of Aden and waters off the
coast of Somalia.
Crew members of a navy helicopter
prepare for the departure in Sanya, capital of South China's Hainan
Province on Dec. 25, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
The fleet will carry about 800 crew members,
including 70 soldiers form the Navy's special force, and is equipped with
ship-borne missiles, cannons and light weapons.
"The fleet's warships will primarily safeguard
vessels passing through the waters. The fleet's helicopters will be responsible
for the fleet's own safety, material delivery as well as rescue tasks," the
commander said.
"The fleet will protect and escort Chinese ships
carrying strategic cargos, such as crude oil," he added.
The commander, who serves as chief of staff of the
Navy's SouthSea Fleet, said that the upcoming mission may take a long time and
may involve unforeseeable challenges.
Soldiers of Chinese navy special force
carry out an anti pirate drill on the deck of DDG-171 Haikou destroyer in
Sanya, capital of South China's Hainan Province, on Dec. 25, 2008.(Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
"We have made special preparations to deal with
pirates, even though these waters are not familiar to us," he said.
The crewmen have made physical and psychological
preparations for the mission by intensified training in shooting, maritime
tactics and diving, said Lieutenant Commander Xie Zengling, chief of the special
force unit, adding that one special force soldier could handle several enemies
with bare hands.
"We are expected to encounter fire conflicts with
pirates in these waters," said the fleet's commander, "but our primary target is
not striking them but dispelling them."
"If the pirates make direct threats to the warships
or the vessels we escort, the fleet will take counter measures," he said.
Soldiers of Chinese navy special force
rank in an anti pirate drill on the deck of DDG-171 Haikou destroyer in
Sanya, capital of South China's Hainan Province, on Dec. 25, 2008.(Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
FLEET EQUIPMENTS IN GOOD FORM
The escorting mission will also be the maiden
operation in real combat conditions for the two destroyers. They are among the
Chinese Navy's most sophisticated war vessels and both are designed and
manufactured by China.
The Weishanhu supply ship started service in 2004,
and has participated in the Navy's goodwill visits to south Asia and Europe.
"All the ships' equipment has been is in excellent
form after various exercises and training," Real-Admiral Du said.
Captain Long Juan of the Wuhan destroyer said the
high temperature, humidity and salinity in the Gulf of Aden and waters off the
coast of Somalia could bring challenges to the equipment and crew members.
"To secure the ships' reliability, communication,
navigating and power equipment has been provided with backup systems," the
captain said.
ADEQUATE SUPPLY FOR MONTHS
Seamen of the fleet have been seen transporting pure
water, beverages and food from the land base to the warships. All material
storage was finished by Thursday evening.
Captain Xi Feijun of the Weishanhu told Xinhua that
his ship had stored fuel, water and food to last several months for the fleet.
The ships' mess will provide self-service meals
during the entire mission. It will offer dairy products, eggs, vegetables, fruit
and other high caloric content food, Captain Long Juan told the Xinhua reporter
aboard.
The Xinhua reporter also saw libraries, computer
rooms and gymnasiums on the ships which have been prepared for the crew members
in their leisure time.
The fleet will be the first overseas deployment for
Chinese maritime forces since the 15th century. Previously, the People's
Liberation Army Navy focused on coastline defense and limited operations abroad
to goodwill visits and drills with other navies.
China's Foreign Ministry officially announced the
deployment on Saturday, saying that China will observe UN resolutions and
international laws in fulfilling its obligations.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said 1,265
Chinese commercial vessels had passed through the gulf so far this year and
seven of them were attacked. One fishing ship and 18 crew members were still
being held by pirates.
Xinhua writer Bai Ruixue contributed to the story.
BEIJING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- China's navy is confident in
its task to patrol the seas off the Somali coast, a senior navy officer said
here on Tuesday.
Two missile destroyers and a support vessel will
leave Sanya in the southern Chinese island province of Hainan on Friday to join
the growing number of international warships fighting piracy off the east
African nation's coast.
"We don't have any insurmountable obstacles in
patrolling this area," Senior Col. Ma Luping, director of the navy operational
bureau under the Headquarters of the General Staff, told reporters.
Full story
UNITED NATIONS,
Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the president of the UN
Security Council, Neven Jurica ofCroatia, Monday both extended their welcome to
China's decision to dispatch Chinese naval ships for escorting operations in the
Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, saying the Chinese move is a strong support for
the global efforts to fight pirates there, a Chinese envoy said here. Full story
BEIJING, Dec. 20
(Xinhua) -- China has announced that its naval deployment to the seas off
Somalia to fight pirates will be of three vessels.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao confirmed on
Saturday evening that the taskforce would consist of three vessels, and would
patrol the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia. Full story
