The 'first' of China navy fleets in ten years of escort history

First convoy formation

On December 26, 2008 PLA Navy Wuhan, Haikou, and Weishanhu warships sailed from Sanya to carry out escort missions in Somali waters in the Gulf of Aden. This is the first time that the People's Republic of China used military forces overseas to safeguard its national strategic interests, fulfill its international humanitarian obligations, and defend important transport routes.