Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081224/article_385689.htm
China beefs up force in anti-piracy mission
Created: 2008-12-24 1:50:56
Author:Lydia Chen
CHINA will add special forces and two helicopters to the three warships it is dispatching to fight pirates off the coast of Somalia, a senior military official said yesterday at a news conference in Beijing.
At the same conference, another military leader said China is considering plans to build its first aircraft carrier.
The country's first overseas naval force in nearly six decades is being sent to Somalia to protect China's commercial fleet and lend support to the international community's fight against piracy, Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, deputy chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army's Navy, told reporters.
All the soldiers on the warships have received special training designed to help them battle pirates who have been operating in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, he said.
"These special forces will also carry some light weapons that correspond with the specific features and needs of this operation," Xiao said, without giving details.
The warships - two multi-role guided missile destroyers and a support vessel - are scheduled to depart from Sanya in southern China's Hainan Province on Friday. Their first tour of duty is scheduled to last three months.
One of the destroyers is among the nation's most advanced warships. The Haikou, commissioned in 2005, is the Navy's first domestically developed modern destroyer. It is often called "China's Aegis" as it has a combat system similar to the Aegis system used by the US navy and is equipped with advanced computers and radar to track targets.
The other destroyer is the Wuhan, designed with Russian assistance.
Though the focus will be on combating piracy, China is also willing to enhance the exchange of intelligence information with other countries during the mission, Senior Colonel Huang Xueping, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, told reporters.
The naval dispatch is an escort-only operation, and Chinese forces will not enter the territorial waters of other countries to attack pirates, officials said at the news conference.
One major issue for the Chinese Navy ships is how they will resupply so far from home.
Rear Admiral Xiao said the flotilla will mostly depend on the supply ship, but China was in negotiations with other countries in the area to allow the ships to dock and resupply.
The Chinese fleet will join ships from the US, Denmark, Italy, Russia and other countries in patrolling the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Suez Canal and is the quickest route from Asia to Europe and the Americas.
Senior Colonel Huang said China was considering building aircraft carriers to protect its interests.
"China has a large sea territory. It is the sacred responsibility of our armed forces to protect our sea territory and to maintain our maritime sovereignty and rights and interests," Huang said.
"China, taking into account all relevant factors, will earnestly research and consider building aircraft carriers."
The Somalia mission was announced after a Chinese ship, with help from helicopters from other nations, fought off a pirate assault in the Gulf of Aden last Wednesday.
According to the Kenya Seafarer's Assistance Program, 300 ships were attacked by pirates last year in that area. Over 40 ships were hijacked in the first 11 months of this year.
During the same period, 1,265 Chinese ships have passed through the area. About 20 percent have come under pirate attack.
At the same conference, another military leader said China is considering plans to build its first aircraft carrier.
The country's first overseas naval force in nearly six decades is being sent to Somalia to protect China's commercial fleet and lend support to the international community's fight against piracy, Rear Admiral Xiao Xinnian, deputy chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army's Navy, told reporters.
All the soldiers on the warships have received special training designed to help them battle pirates who have been operating in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, he said.
"These special forces will also carry some light weapons that correspond with the specific features and needs of this operation," Xiao said, without giving details.
The warships - two multi-role guided missile destroyers and a support vessel - are scheduled to depart from Sanya in southern China's Hainan Province on Friday. Their first tour of duty is scheduled to last three months.
One of the destroyers is among the nation's most advanced warships. The Haikou, commissioned in 2005, is the Navy's first domestically developed modern destroyer. It is often called "China's Aegis" as it has a combat system similar to the Aegis system used by the US navy and is equipped with advanced computers and radar to track targets.
The other destroyer is the Wuhan, designed with Russian assistance.
Though the focus will be on combating piracy, China is also willing to enhance the exchange of intelligence information with other countries during the mission, Senior Colonel Huang Xueping, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, told reporters.
The naval dispatch is an escort-only operation, and Chinese forces will not enter the territorial waters of other countries to attack pirates, officials said at the news conference.
One major issue for the Chinese Navy ships is how they will resupply so far from home.
Rear Admiral Xiao said the flotilla will mostly depend on the supply ship, but China was in negotiations with other countries in the area to allow the ships to dock and resupply.
The Chinese fleet will join ships from the US, Denmark, Italy, Russia and other countries in patrolling the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Suez Canal and is the quickest route from Asia to Europe and the Americas.
Senior Colonel Huang said China was considering building aircraft carriers to protect its interests.
"China has a large sea territory. It is the sacred responsibility of our armed forces to protect our sea territory and to maintain our maritime sovereignty and rights and interests," Huang said.
"China, taking into account all relevant factors, will earnestly research and consider building aircraft carriers."
The Somalia mission was announced after a Chinese ship, with help from helicopters from other nations, fought off a pirate assault in the Gulf of Aden last Wednesday.
According to the Kenya Seafarer's Assistance Program, 300 ships were attacked by pirates last year in that area. Over 40 ships were hijacked in the first 11 months of this year.
During the same period, 1,265 Chinese ships have passed through the area. About 20 percent have come under pirate attack.
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