14th Chinese naval escort taskforce starts independent escort mission

The 13th and 14th escort taskforces under the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) held a separation ceremony on March 18, 2013, marking that the 14th Chinese naval escort taskforce officially took over the independent escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast from the 13th Chinese naval escort taskforce.

The 13th and 14th Chinese naval escort taskforces jointly escorted four commercial ships to the western waters of the Gulf of Aden at 12:15, local time. After being relieved from the joint escort mission, the two taskforces maintained a horizontal distance of around 400 meters and sailed in column of twos. The "Harbin" guided missile destroyer, the "Mianyang" guided missile frigate and the "Weishan Lake" comprehensive supply ship of the 14th Chinese naval escort taskforce maintained a longitudinal distance of around 600 meters and formed the left column, and the "Huangshan" and "Hengyang" guided missile frigates of the 13th Chinese naval escort taskforce maintained the same longitudinal distance and formed the right column.

The separation ceremony officially began at 12:55, local time.

The 13th Chinese naval escort taskforce will visit five countries including France and Morocco before sailing back home and the 14th Chinese naval escort taskforce will officially start its independent escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast as planned.

According to Yuan Yubai, commander of the 14th Chinese naval escort taskforce, the 14th escort taskforce will draw on the escort experience of the 13th Chinese naval escort taskforce, give full play to its capabilities in anti-piracy and rescue by force, etc. and resolutely complete every escort mission. Meanwhile, the taskforce will conduct hard and strict open-sea training according to the characteristics of the escort mission while carrying out escort missions so as to temper the excellent fighting capability of the officers and men.

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