By Prensa Latina,
Beijing : A Chinese Naval fleet of two destroyers and one supply ship sailed off Sanya military port on Hainan Island towards Somalía to fight pirates operating in the area.
The vessels include DDG-169 Wuhan and DDG-171 Haikou destroyers plus Weishanhu ship, armed with missiles, cannons and light weapons, plus 800 sailors, including 70 members of the Special Naval Forces.
Read Admiral Du Jingchen, commander of the mission, told Xinhua news agency that it will take the fleet ten days to reach the Gulf of Aden and its crew is ready to fulfil its mission, escorting merchant ships.
Du said some crew members have experience from previous missions adding that the expedition is aimed at fighting piracy so it may take a longer time and deal with unexpected challenges.
They will escort Chinese merchant ships, as well as those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan that request protection, as well as from other countries if they ask for it.
This fleet will be commissioned for three months, then will be replaced by other units, depending of the situation and Security Council decision.
They will also escort ships carrying humanitarian aid like those of the World Food Program. Official sources said the Chinese mission will abide by the UN resolutions and international laws in fulfilling their duty at the African Corn.
Rear Admiral Du said their goal is not shooting against the pirates but discourage them.
Seven Chinese merchant ships were attacked by pirates and one fishing boat and its 18-member crew remain abducted.