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…
For over a decade, China has sent warships to patrol the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia. Piracy was in decline for much of that period, but recent years have seen a resurgence of attacks and hijackings for ransom. This comes as the US Navy focuses on Iran-related operations and India protects shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The European Union's Operation Atalanta also patrols the region and has additional responsibilities beyond counter-piracy. China's newly deployed escort task force and a logistics base in Djibouti position the navy to support counter-piracy efforts, but effectiveness depends on coordination with other navies and governments. Since 2008, China has escorted more than 7,000 vessels in the region, with its Djibouti base enabling extended deployments.
Despite China's role as a "notable contributor" to the decline of piracy after 2013, it now faces a resurgence, with the highest number of attacks since 2013 in 2026. Somali piracy has re-emerged, with the hijacking of a Maltese-flagged vessel in 2023 marking the first successful capture since 2017. China has directly experienced one such hijacking, though it remains unclear if ransom was paid.
Experts say naval patrols deter attacks but cannot address underlying conditions in Somalia that allow piracy to persist. China has the capability for a larger role but shows no intention of expanding its deployment or adopting a more aggressive approach to capturing suspected pirates.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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