QINGDAO, December 2 (ChinaMil) -- The 16th escort taskforce under the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN) set sail from a naval port in Qingdao in east China's Shandong province at 10:00 on November 30, 2013 for the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast to take over the escort mission from the 15th Chinese naval escort taskforce.

The 16th Chinese naval escort taskforce is composed of the guided missile frigates "Yancheng" and "Luoyang", the comprehensive supply ship "Taihu Lake", two ship-borne helicopters and some special operation members, totaling over 660 people.

Li Pengcheng, deputy chief of staff of the North China Sea Fleet of the PLAN, and Sun Jian, political commissar of a destroyer flotilla under the North China Sea Fleet of the PLAN, serve as commander and political commissar of the taskforce respectively.

It is learnt that the PLAN has continuously conducted escort missions for nearly five years since it dispatched the first escort taskforce in December 2008, and the Chinese naval escort taskforces have escorted 5,000-odd Chinese and foreign ships, successfully rescued and salvaged 50-odd Chinese and foreign ships, keeping the record of 100% safety of the escorted ships and their personnel.

Tian Zhong, commander of the North China Sea Fleet of the PLAN, Bai Wenqi, political commissar of the North China Sea Fleet of the PLAN, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT), and family members and relatives of some escort officers and men saw the taskforce off at the pier.