The "first" of China navy fleets in ten years of escort history

1. First convoy formation

On December 26, 2008 PLA Navy Wuhan, Haikou, and Weishanhu warships sailed from Sanya to carry out escort missions in Somali waters in the Gulf of Aden. This is the first time that the People's Republic of China used military forces overseas to safeguard its national strategic interests, fulfill its international humanitarian obligations, and defend important transport routes.

On December 26, 2008 a PLA Navy escort set sail for the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. [File photo: VCG]

2. First convoy mission

On January 6, 2009 the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy began its first convoy mission, accompanying four Chinese merchant ships from Sanya to Gulf of Aden.

Chinese merchant ships sail from Sanya to Gulf of Aden under the protection of a convoy led by the PLA Navy missile destroyer Wuhan on January 6, 2009. [File photo: Xinhua]

3. First evacuation mission

On March 26, 2015 the PLA Navy completed the evacuation of 897 people from Yemen, including hundreds of Chinese citizens, under the threat of artillery attack.

The picture shows the PLA Navy escort vessel Linyi arrived at the port of Aden in Yemen on April 2015 as part of a humanitarian mission to assist Pakistan and several other countries to evacuate their citizens from Yemen. [File photo: Chinanews. Com]

4. First armed rescue of a foreign ship

On April 9, 2017 the PLA Navy intercepted a Tuvalu cargo ship that had been boarded and hijacked by pirates in Gulf of Aden. Sixteen members of a navy special forces team boarded the ship, rescued the crew, and captured three pirates.

In April 2017, the PLA Navy escorted the rescued Tuvalu cargo ship to safe seas the port of Aden in Yemen. This picture shows the rescue of the cargo ship's crew members by a PLA Navy special operations force. [File photo: Chinanews. Com]

5. First round-the-world visit

On April 3, 2015 after completing an escort mission, a PLA Navy fleet visited 13 countries, including Egypt, Sweden, the United States, Cuba, and Australia. The 309 day voyage took the formation through three oceans and five continents, and it berthed in 18 ports in 16 countries. The mission set a record in China for being the longest voyage to pass through the most sea areas and countries.

On July 10, 2015 the PLA Navy fleet finished its round-the-world tour back in Qingdao, Shandong Province. [File photo: IC]

6. First Award for Special Services in Shipping and Human Beings

On November 23, 2009 the PLA Navy Wuhan, Haikou, Shenzhen, Huangshan, and Weishanhu fleets were awarded the Special Service Award for Shipping and Human Beings by the IMO, International Maritime Organization.

Picture of the award. [File photo: IC]