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US admiral hails China anti-piracy cooperation

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-19 15:22

BEIJING -- Anti-piracy operations off Somalia are producing an unprecedented degree of cooperation, giving the American and Chinese navies a rare opportunity to work together after a recent confrontation, the chief of US Naval Operations said Sunday.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Navy Adm. Gary Roughead said he would discuss further boosting ties through base visits and joint search and rescue exercises during talks this week with his Chinese counterpart, Wu Shengli.

In this undated photo provided by the Belgian government, the Belgian ship Pompei, owned by De Nul, is shown in unidentified waters. On Saturday, April 18, 2009 the Belgian government reported that a Belgian ship may have been attacked by pirates of the east African coast. [Agencies]

The US admiral's visit comes after a confrontation last month between a US spy ship and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea.

Roughead and Wu were flying later Sunday to the Chinese port of Qingdao for commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

China dispatched an anti-piracy flotilla to the Gulf of Aden in December to join an international patrol contingent of some two dozen warships from countries including the US, Russia and members of the European Union.

Roughead said those operations have taken relations between the two militaries beyond merely bilateral exchanges, although the benefit to practical cooperation was the most significant aspect, he said.

"This is the first time we have operated together so far from China with a real-world mission," Roughead told reporters.

Despite such ties, relations have often been rocky.

Last month, the USNS Impeccable, a US surveillance ship was about 120 km south of China's southern-most province of Hainan where the standoff with the Chinese vessels broke out. Chinese naval officers said the US vessel was spying for data related to its submarines.

Roughead, however, sought to focus on the positive elements of the relationship and declined to chastise China over the Impeccable incident.

Currently, China's People's Liberation Army Navy would hold a grand celebration ceremony to mark its 60th founding anniversary, and 21 naval vessels from 14 countries and delegations from 29 countries will join the event, the country's National Defence Ministry said Saturday.