Qian Lihua, director general of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, said in an interview on Oct. 22 that the Chinese naval escort taskforce was carrying out close cooperation with navies of other countries which are also participating in the escort actions to strengthen the patrol and escort in the sea area where a Chinese ship was hijacked recently, in a bid to avoid recurrence of such incidents.

　　The Chinese cargo ship “Dexinhai” was hijacked by armed pirates in a sea area of the Indian Ocean, where 1,080 nautical miles south by east away from the A meeting spot of the Chinese naval escort taskforce, but still within the safe zone recommended by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

　　Qian Lihua said that navies of more than 20 countries, including China, EU countries, Brazil and South Korea, were implementing escort in the waters off the Somali coast. The Chinese side proposed to implement “partitioned escort” and avoid single combat in order to raise the escort efficiency. This proposal was echoed by many countries which are dispatching escorting troops to the region. A thematic conference will be held in Beijing later to discuss the details and draft a plan for common actions.

　　By Huang Fuhui and Wang Xiaopeng

　　Translated by China Military Online