Somali Pirates: China Hosting Anti-Somali Pirate Conference

Reported here:

China is to host an international conference on Nov. 6 and 7 to coordinate anti-piracy escorts in the Gulf of Aden, the Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

The conference would consider how escort missions could cover different areas in the gulf so as to coordinate effective international cooperation, said ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu at a regular news briefing.

"China always takes a positive and open attitude towards international cooperation on shipping escorts," said Ma.

China would cooperate with all countries and organizations to achieve peace and stability in the waters off Somalia.

Ma said representatives from Russia, Japan, India, the European Union and NATO would attend the conference.

China sent three warships to the Gulf of Aden on Dec. 26 last year in its first overseas escort mission for merchant vessels.

A new Chinese naval flotilla was deployed to the Gulf of Aden on Oct. 30, the fourth task force of its kind.