China recently assembled two flotillas in waters near the Red Sea as it continues an escort mission that helps its fast-growing navy gain experience operating overseas.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy is taking concrete actions to safeguard international sea lanes and regional peace and stability, China‘s Defense Ministry said last month.
Why It Matters
China operates the world’s largest navy by number of vessels, enabling it to expand its military activities beyond the Pacific. The first Chinese naval escort task group was sent to the Gulf of Aden in 2008 to protect the country’s shipping interests amid piracy while giving its sailors experience in overseas operations, the Pentagon said.
The Gulf of Aden, off the Horn of Africa, links the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea—where the United States and its allies have deployed naval forces to protect merchant vessels from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels—and with Egypt’s Suez Canal to the north, making it a crucial maritime chokepoint for global trade and energy transport.
What To Know
According to footage released by the Chinese navy on Wednesday, the 47th and 48th escort task groups conducted a mission handover and break-off ceremony, marking the 48th task group officially taking over the escort mission from the 47th task group.
A total of six Chinese vessels, three from each escort task group, were seen sailing in formation before breaking off during the ceremony on Saturday. While the Chinese navy did not disclose the exact location, previous events were held in the Gulf of Aden.
“At the escort mission handover ceremony, discussions were held on new situations, tensions and problems arising in long-range escort missions and on improving the overall effectiveness of escort operations,” the Chinese navy noted on Monday.
Following the ceremony, the new Chinese naval task group carried out its first mission on Tuesday, escorting a Panamanian cargo ship in the western Gulf of Aden. The mission lasted more than 30 hours and covered over 345 miles, the Chinese military said.
The 48th escort task group, consisting of the destroyer CNS Tangshan, the frigate CNS Daqing and the supply ship CNS Taihu, departed from Qingdao, China, on October 11.
Meanwhile, the outgoing 47th task group, comprising the destroyer CNS Baotou, the frigate CNS Honghe and the supply ship CNS Gaoyouhu, has been on deployment for almost a year, after the three-ship flotilla left Zhoushan, China, on December 15, 2024.
China’s naval anti-piracy missions are supported by a base in Djibouti, the East Asian power’s first overseas military facility. The base held a joint training exercise with the Djiboutian military from October 27 to 29, simulating the elimination of terrorists.
What People Are Saying
The Chinese navy said on Monday: “During its escort mission, the 47th escort task group firmly upheld the concept that ‘setting sail is going on an expedition, and escorting is fighting,’ always putting its mission above all else and shouldering its responsibilities. It resolutely protected strategic maritime channels, safeguarded the country’s overseas interests, and protected the safety of the people, demonstrating China’s positive image as a responsible major power.”
The Pentagon’s Chinese military power report 2024 read: “The [People’s Liberation Army Navy]’s experience in extended range operations is primarily derived from naval task group deployments and its ongoing counterpiracy mission in the Gulf of Aden, [humanitarian assistance and disaster relief] operations, or intelligence collection missions.”
What Happens Next
It remains unclear whether the Chinese 47th escort task group will conduct additional operations, such as exercises, while returning to China after departing the Gulf of Aden.