China sends warships to join patrols off Somalia

Chinese warships headed toward Somalia on Friday to combat piracy, the first time Beijing has sent its navy on a mission that could involve fighting so far beyond territorial waters.

The deployment to the Gulf of Aden, which has been plagued by increasingly bold pirate attacks, is a major step in the navy’s evolution from mostly guarding China’s coasts to patrolling far from home.

The move was welcomed by the U.S. military, which along with India, Russia and the European Union has been escorting cargo ships in the region. But analysts predicted that the Chinese intervention could be troubling to some Asian nations who might see it as a sign that the Chinese military is becoming more aggressive.

The naval force that set sail Friday afternoon from a port at the southern tip of Hainan island consisted of a supply ship and two destroyers. The vessels were armed with guided missiles and carrying special forces and two helicopters. China announced it was joining the anti-piracy mission after the U.N. Security Council last week authorized nations to conduct land and air attacks on pirate bases.

Pirates working out of Somalia have seized more than 40 vessels off the country’s 1,880-mile coastline this year. Most of the attacks have occurred in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

Deploying the warships will stoke pride among many Chinese who feel that their nation should be playing a bigger role in world affairs.