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Chinese Navy ready for prolonged mission in Somalia
By Cui Xiaohuo and Wang Hui (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-12-26 00:28

He also said a special force team with 60-strong soldiers may be assigned to vessels carrying vital materials or personnel and guard them safely through the Somali waters.

Tourists play at the beach in the city of Sanya, China's south end Hainan province, with the destroyer "Wuhan" visible in the backdrop, December 25th, 2008. Du Jingchen, chief commander, said his three warships and near-1000 soldiers are ready for the mission in the Gulf of Aden against the Somali pirates. [chinadaily.com.cn]

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But Du insisted the Navy has not planned for any actions against the pirates on land, and the Navy will not fire at the pirates unless the Chinese vessels, both civilian and military, are attacked.

“We will instead evict the pirates,” he explained.

Du said the fleet also conducted training sessions in late evenings and early mornings because the pirates often attacked ships off guard.

The transport authorities, who tracks hijacked vessels in the region, said earlier the Chinese Navy will guard all Chinese ships, including those from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, who have applied for protection.

The Navy said it will also protect foreign vessels attacked by the pirates if necessary through humanitarian methods.

Du told China Daily the Navy has no plan to rescue FV Tian Yu 8, a Chinese fishing vessel still held by Somali pirates, since the agricultural and diplomatic officials are negotiating with the pirates.

The ship was seized by pirates in the Kenyan fishing waters on November 14 before being escorted by the US 5th Fleet to an anchorage off the Somali coast. The Chinese authority has the exact location of the ship.