Beijing helps safeguard maritime commerce

Long before the Strait of Hormuz became a critical and highly vulnerable choke point for global energy trade, the maritime world witnessed the threat posed by non-state actors engaged in piracy off the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea starting around 2008.

The Gulf of Aden became a focus of attention due to the activities of a small group of Somali pirates. A large number of merchant vessels that were engaged in legitimate maritime trade were attacked, many were hijacked, and billions of dollars were lost through ransom payments, increased insurance premiums and the rerouting of vessels around the Cape of Good Hope.

No single navy in the Indian Ocean region could handle this maritime security threat on its own. In view of the grave threat to freedom of maritime commerce, the United Nations Security Council adopted several resolutions authorizing international naval cooperation against piracy. Numerous naval forces — including those of the United States, the European Union, NATO, India, Japan, Russia, the Republic of Korea and China — deployed warships to safeguard freedom of navigation in the region.

Toward the end of 2008, China dispatched its first escort task force comprising two guided-missile destroyers and one replenishment ship to the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden to protect Chinese commercial ships and those of other countries. This marked the first operational deployment of Chinese naval forces beyond the first island chain in modern history and initiated one of the longest continuous overseas naval missions undertaken by any navy.

The People's Liberation Army Navy also provided humanitarian assistance and medical support and conducted search-and-rescue operations in the region. Thanks to the efforts of the PLA Navy and other navies, incidents of piracy gradually declined and maritime trade resumed.

These anti-piracy operations helped transform the Chinese Navy into a blue-water navy capable of projecting power far from home and playing a crucial role in protecting and helping govern the Indian Ocean as part of the global commons. Through this uninterrupted, long-term deployment, China has demonstrated a high level of operational sustainability and logistics management. Chinese Navy vessels have reportedly safely escorted more than 7,000 merchant ships from many countries. In addition to conducting anti-piracy operations, the Chinese Navy successfully evacuated citizens of several countries who were trapped by the worsening security situation in Yemen in 2015. This humanitarian operation received widespread international recognition and illustrated China's expanding role as a provider of maritime public goods.

Maritime security and safety are increasingly becoming a grave concern for maritime trade, and collaborative mechanisms are needed to ensure them. China's contribution to protecting international maritime trade, maintaining global supply chains, facilitating energy transportation and supporting humanitarian shipping has clearly demonstrated that China is acting beyond its own national and commercial interests. It has supported international maritime governance and demonstrated its ability to work closely with multinational maritime forces as well as individual countries outside China's territorial waters. During these escort missions, China engaged in protecting transit corridors, information exchange, deconfliction mechanisms, communication protocols and joint search-and-rescue coordination. Such practical cooperation has reduced operational risks while strengthening international maritime governance. These long-term, sustained operations far from China's shores have also provided the PLA Navy with experience in long-distance navigation, fleet replenishment, maintenance at sea, extended crew endurance, overseas logistics, operational readiness and capabilities for expeditionary maritime operations. The operations have also helped the PLA Navy develop command skills and expertise in the rules of engagement, international communication, crisis management, boarding operations and maritime law enforcement.

A significant development was the establishment of China's support facility in Djibouti in 2017. This is China's first overseas logistics base, operating alongside bases run by Japan, the United States, France and Italy. The base has facilitated the replenishment of PLA Navy ships deployed for extended periods and provided repair and maintenance services, medical facilities and rest areas for crews. The base has substantially reduced the logistical constraints associated with sustained deployments for the PLA Navy.

From the Chinese perspective, the Gulf of Aden is a vital part of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Furthermore, China is a net importer of oil and depends heavily on energy shipments passing through the region. Hence, the escort missions have broader implications for China. Protecting ships engaged in maritime trade also enhances China's global trade connectivity and investment security. It is a win-win situation for China and the wider world. China is also leading by example in line with its Global Security Initiative, which advocates common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.

The escort missions demonstrate China's evolution from a regional maritime power into a country assuming greater responsibility for maintaining international maritime stability. Furthermore, China has proved to the world its commitment to contributing to a community with a shared future for humanity, particularly in areas where international cooperation is essential.

The author is the 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, a retired four-star admiral of the Sri Lanka Navy, the former secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and ambassador to Indonesia and ASEAN. He is also a guest professor at Sichuan University, distinguished fellow of the Pathfinder Foundation, and nonresident senior fellow of the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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