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China to deploy 3 warships to Somalia to battle pirates

China will for the first time deploy three naval ships in the seas off Somalia to protect Chinese vessels and crews from frequent pirate attacks.

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BEIJING: Global trading giant, China will for the first time deploy three naval ships in the seas off Somalia to protect Chinese vessels and crews from frequent pirate attacks.
    
The Chinese naval task-force would consist of three vessels which would patrol the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.     

The Ministry of Defence said the task-force would consist of two destroyers and a supply ship, and will leave Sanya port in southern Hainan Province on December 26.

Their major task is to protect the safety of Chinese ships and crew on board as well as ships carrying humanitarian relief material for the international organisations, Liu said.
    
Ships registered in China or owned by Chinese companies had been attacked by pirates off the Somali coast this year.
    
"China was acting in accord with United Nations resolutions," Liu said in a statement.
     
So far the United States, India, Russia, NATO and other countries have already sent naval forces to the area.
    
"Chinese naval vessels will strictly follow U.N. Security Council resolutions and international laws. They are willing to work with other countries and to take part in humanitarian relief tasks," Liu said.      

He noted that 20 per cent of Chinese ships passing through the waters off the Somali coast have been attacked by pirates from January to November this year.
     
He said that seven ships, either owned by China or carrying Chinese cargo and crew, had been hijacked and one fishing boat, with a crew of 18, was still held by pirates.
     
"We will continue working with armed forces of other countries to improve cooperation in various fields including safeguarding the international maritime sea lanes and enhance joint actions against new challenges and threats," the  Chinese Ministry of Defence said.

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