On March 21, as the fifth escort fleet of the Chinese Navy took to the waters against pirates in the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia, it also signified China's strongest efforts to date in fulfilling its obligations as a responsible country and safeguarding world peace and stability.

Since December 26, 2008, the Chinese Navy has dispatched 12 ships on five escort missions to the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. As of March 20, 2010, it had escorted 179 ship formations, totaling 1,768 ships