Zhang Huachen [File Photo: people.com.cn]

China's escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia has set a new requirement for the Chinese navy, for which it needs to build a naval force capable of completing diversified military tasks, including disaster relief and anti-pirate missions.

Zhang Huachen, a member of the National People's Congress and a deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet, made the comments Monday in Beijing.

So far, the Chinese fleet has successfully escorted more than 1,660 vessels, about 500 of them foreign. The escort missions in Somali waters have demonstrated the capabilities of the Chinese navy and showed the world a positive image of China maintaining world and regional peace, deputy commander Zhang Huacheng told CRI during an exclusive interview.

"During the escort mission, we have worked out many schemes to better guarantee the vessel's safety. As a result, the pirates have failed to attack any of the ships that are within the range of our fleet, which means that the Chinese navy has been capable and confident in participating in international anti-terrorist and anti-pirate missions to ensure maritime safety," Zhang said.

A new Chinese naval task force has recently set sail to replace the fourth fleet escorting merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, showing that the escort mission is being carried out in an orderly and planned way, Zhang said.

He also said the escort mission off the Somali coast marks the first Chinese participation in such operations under a UN framework, and it will help the Chinese navy learn from the experiences of other countries and enhance its own non-military capabilities.

More than 20 countries are now participating in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden, and the Chinese task force has been coordinating with navies from several countries, Zhang said.

He also said the exchange and cooperation have played a positive role in building a harmonious maritime environment, as it is difficult for a single country to solve the problems of maritime smuggling, trafficking and pirate attacks.