| Merchant vessels sail in a line formation under command of the destroyer DDG-169 Wuhuan in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday, January 6, 2009. The Chinese naval fleet, two destroyers and one supply ship, arrived Tuesday in the waters of the Gulf of Aden off Somalia to carry out the first escort mission against pirates. Four Chinese merchant ships, including one from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, were escorted by the fleet. After successfully carrying out its first escort mission, the Chinese Navy prepares to cover another 11 domestic merchant vessels planning to travel around Somalia this week. (Xinhua) |
