Chinese 12nd escort fleet racing to handover   

东海舰队副参谋长：加强与国际反海盗力量合作

中国海军第十二批护航编队3日从浙江舟山某军港起航，远赴亚丁湾、索马里海域。编队指挥员、东海舰队副参谋长周煦明表示，第十二批护航编队有信心传好护航“接力棒”，将在条件许可的情况下，加大与国际反海盗力量交流与合作的力度。

CNS -- The twelfth Chinese navy escort fleet set sail from a military port in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province destined for the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia on the morning of July 3.

We have confidence the handover from the eleventh fleet will go smoothly and our cooperation with international anti-pirate forces continues, said fleet commander Zhou Xuming aboard the Yiyang Vessel as it navigated to its destination at full speed.

As of June 28, Somali pirates have committed 52 crimes and hijacked 13 ships just this year, Zhou clarified, but in fact crimes are dropping year-on-year.

"Still, our escort fleet faces new challenges as pirates are adapting, using multiple tactics and behaving in more complicated ways than previously," added Zhou.