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Friday 5 December 2008
Send Navy to Tackle Pirates off Somalia, Says PLA General
Beijing should send naval ships to help stop Somali pirates menacing commercial vessels off Africa, a prominent mainland military strategist said, urging the nation to take a higher profile in such operations.
Send Navy to Tackle Pirates off Somalia, Says PLA General
Reuters in Beijing 5 December 2008
Beijing should send naval ships to help stop Somali pirates menacing commercial vessels off Africa, a prominent mainland military strategist said, urging the nation to take a higher profile in such operations.
People’s Liberation Army Major General Jin Yinan’s comments may reflect growing debate on the mainland about combating rising piracy.
General Jin told a mainland radio interviewer that “nobody should be shocked” if the government one day decided to send navy ships to deal with the pirates, whose recent victims have included ships from the mainland 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,” he said.
General Jin, head of a strategy institute at the PLA’s National Defence University, gave no sign that such naval action was under imminent consideration. But he said the nation’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. If one day the Chinese navy sends ships to deal with pirates, nobody should be shocked,” he said.
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 move into the area.
The victims have included a Hong Kong-flagged ship with 25 crew members aboard.
General Jin, a frequent commentator in the mainland 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?”
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Send Navy to Tackle Pirates off Somalia, Says PLA General
Reuters in Beijing
5 December 2008
Beijing should send naval ships to help stop Somali pirates menacing commercial vessels off Africa, a prominent mainland military strategist said, urging the nation to take a higher profile in such operations.
People’s Liberation Army Major General Jin Yinan’s comments may reflect growing debate on the mainland about combating rising piracy.
General Jin told a mainland radio interviewer that “nobody should be shocked” if the government one day decided to send navy ships to deal with the pirates, whose recent victims have included ships from the mainland 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,” he said.
General Jin, head of a strategy institute at the PLA’s National Defence University, gave no sign that such naval action was under imminent consideration. But he said the nation’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. If one day the Chinese navy sends ships to deal with pirates, nobody should be shocked,” he said.
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 move into the area.
The victims have included a Hong Kong-flagged ship with 25 crew members aboard.
General Jin, a frequent commentator in the mainland 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?”
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