Guangzhou, February 21, 2024 (Xinhua) -The 46th fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy sailed on (Wednesday) from a military port in the coastal city of Zhanjiang in Guangdong Province, southern China, to take over an escort mission from the 45th naval fleet in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the coast of Somalia.

According to China News Agencey the 46th fleet consists of the guided-missile destroyer (Jiaozuo) and the missile frigate (Xuchang) and the comprehensive replenishment ship (Honghu), and the fleet includes more than 700 officers and soldiers, including dozens of special forces personnel, in addition to the presence of two helicopters on board the fleet.

As part of the preparations for the mission, the fleet conducted a detailed analysis and developed detailed plans. The fleet also carried out training that simulates scenarios such as rescuing hijacked commercial ships, combating terrorists and pirates, and replenishing

The Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia are also facing security challenges from the ongoing conflict in Yemen, where the Houthi group has claimed responsibility for several attacks on commercial and military ships, including two US ships and a British ship in February 2024