It was the 48th escort task group to be sent to the region in a Chinese navy programme that has been helping to protect commercial ships and counter Somali piracy since 2008, when there were numerous attacks by Somali pirates.
The Chinese navy has also prolonged its stays, from four or five months to over 10 months in the previous two missions due to extended diplomatic port calls and heightened regional security concerns.
Experts said there was a clear “evolution in duration and sophistication” of the naval escort task groups, with the anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden evolving from a specific security response into a long-term strategic programme capable of transforming the Chinese navy into a modern maritime military force operating in global waters.
