Somali piracy rise tests China’s long-running Gulf of Aden mission
For more than a decade, China has deployed warships to the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. For much of that time, piracy in the region has been in sharp decline. Now, however, with attacks at their highest reported level since 2013 and other naval forces engaged in crises elsewhere, Beijing’s long-running escort mission is being tested. The renewed attacks and hijacking for ransom come…
Since 2008, China has rotated escort task forces through the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, escorting over 7,000 vessels. In 2026, piracy-related incidents off Somalia reached a seven-year high, with 13 incidents recorded in the first seven months. Meanwhile, the US Navy and India focus on operations in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.
The European Union's Operation Atalanta also patrols the region. China's effectiveness depends on coordination with other navies and governments. Somali piracy has re-emerged, with the hijacking of a Maltese-flagged vessel being the first successful capture of a merchant ship by Somali pirates since 2017. Chinese ships have been affected, with one hijacked in January 2026.
The Chinese embassy condemned the seizure and vowed to protect Chinese interests. Naval patrols deter attacks but cannot address Somalia's conditions that allow piracy to persist.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
