CHINA-PLA NAVY: INDIAN OCEAN
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At the send off ceremony at Sanya for the PLA Navy's 21st anti-piracy Taskforce in the Indian Ocean, the Chief of Staff of the PLA Navy Vice Adm. Qiu Yanpeng said that since December 26, 2008, the navy has successively dispatched 20 taskforces to fulfill the escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast, thereby demonstrating that China is a "responsible country". The PLAN's 21st escort taskforce comprises three ships from the South China Sea Fleet. They are the guided-missile frigate Liuzhou (hull number 573), the guided-missile frigate Sanya (hull number 574) and the comprehensive supply ship Qianghaihu (hull number 885). The taskforce carries two ship-borne helicopters, dozens of commandos and more than 700 officers and men. Rear Adm. Yu Manjiang, Deputy Chief of Staff of PLAN's South China Sea Fleet is the commanding officer of the taskforce.
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