A Chinese escort fleet heading to the Gulf of Aden holds a ceremony while sailing through the South China Sea on July 8. Marines in their military uniforms posed for a group photo with the banner: "I love the South China Sea. I love Sansha city" on deck as they sailed through the South China Sea. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy sent its 12th batch of escort ships to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters from Zhoushan Port, East China's Zhejiang province on July 3 to replace a previous flotilla. [Photo/mil.cnr.cn]