China major-general urges navy to fight Somali pirates
Thu 4 Dec 2008, 8:25 GMT
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnJOE4B3073.html

BEIJING (Reuters) - China should send naval ships to help wipe out Somali pirates menacing commercial vessels off Africa, a prominent Chinese military strategist said, urging his nation to take a higher profile in such operations.

Major-General Jin Yinan's comments may reflect growing debate about combating the rising piracy in a country which has generally confined its growing naval strength to waters near home.

Jin told a Chinese radio interviewer that "nobody should be shocked" if his government one day decided to send navy ships to deal with the pirates, whose recent victims have included ships from mainland China and Hong Kong.

"With China as a major world economy, it's very difficult to say that security problems across the world have nothing to do with us," Jin said in the interview reprinted by the China News Service (www.chinanews.com.cn), an official agency, on Thursday.

Jin, head of a strategy institute at China's National Defence University, gave no sign that such naval action was under imminent consideration. But he said China's growing clout made it increasingly likely that the government would use its forces in security operations far from home.

"I believe the Chinese navy should send naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden to carry out anti-piracy duties," he said. "If one day, the Chinese navy sends ships to deal with pirates, nobody should be shocked."

A surge in attacks at sea this year in the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean off Somalia has pushed up insurance costs, brought the Somali gangs tens of millions of dollars in ransom and prompted foreign warships to the area.

The victims have included a Hong Kong-flagged ship with 25 crew aboard and a Chinese fishing boat reported seized off Kenya.

On Tuesday, the U.N. Security Council renewed its authorisation for countries to use military force against the gunmen operating out of anarchic Somalia.

NATO ships began anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast in late October, but they have failed to stop the hijackings.

Jin, a frequent commentator in Chinese media, said the country's lack of military bases abroad should not rule out anti-piracy operations. National pride was at stake, he said.

"If we don't take effective action, how will they see us abroad, and how will Chinese people view their government?", he said.




News Asia-Pacific
China navy 'should fight piracy'
China may be considering ways to protect its interests in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean [EPA]
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2008/12/200812484245612135.html
China should consider sending its own warships to join a growing international naval force against pirates operating off the Somali coast, a Chinese military strategist has said.

In a radio interview reprinted by the China News Service on Thursday Major-General Jin Yinan said that "nobody should be shocked" if the Chinese government decided to send navy ships to the area.

Somali pirates have hijacked ships from mainland China and Hong Kong this year, along with dozens of vessels from other countries.

"With China as a major world economy, it's very difficult to say that security problems across the world have nothing to do with us," Jin was quoted as saying.

"I believe the Chinese navy should send naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden to carry out anti-piracy duties."

Jin is the head of a strategy institute at the National Defence University in Beijing.

He did not say that naval action was under imminent consideration. But his comments may reflect growing debate inside China about ways of fighintg piracy, in a country whch has generally confined its naval strength to waters closer to home.

'National pride'

He also said that national pride was at stake.

"If we don't take effective action, how will they see us abroad, and how will Chinese people view their government?", he said.

A surge in attacks at sea this year in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean has pushed up insurance costs, brought the pirates tens of millions of dollars in ransom and prompted a growing fleet of foreign warships to the area.

On Tuesday, the UN Security Council renewed its authorisation for countries to use military force against the pirates operating out of Somalia.

Nato ships began anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast in late October, but they have failed to stop the spate of hijackings from continuing.