The 48th Escort Task Force of the Chinese Navy Completes Mission and Returns to Qingdao
Xinhua News Agency, Qingdao, October 23 (Li Jie, Du Jiangfan) The 48th batch of the Chinese Navy's escort fleet has successfully completed its escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia, returning to a military port in Qingdao, Shandong Province on the morning of the 23rd. This mission lasted 378 days, covering over 150,000 nautical miles, and safely escorted 423 vessels from both domestic and foreign origins, effectively maintaining the safety of international maritime passages and regional peace and stability.
The 48th batch of the escort fleet consists of the missile destroyer Tangshan, the missile frigate Daqing, and the comprehensive supply ship Taihu, which set sail from Qingdao, Shandong Province on October 11, 2025.
During the mission, the fleet utilized the vast expanse of the open sea as a training ground, organizing targeted training such as armed rescue operations and helicopter flights around the clock, effectively enhancing its capability to carry out diverse missions.
In addition, the fleet participated in the "Peace Mission-2026" maritime joint exercise in South Africa and Pakistan, the China-Pakistan "Maritime Guardian-4" joint exercise, attended the 50th anniversary celebration parade of Seychelles' independence, made friendly visits to Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Malaysia, and made technical stops in Oman, Kenya, Singapore, and other countries, further deepening traditional friendships and strategic mutual trust with relevant countries.
The 48th Escort Task Force of the Chinese Navy completed its escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters and returned to Qingdao on October 23, 2023. The mission lasted 378 days, covering over 150,000 nautical miles and escorting 423 vessels. The task force included the missile destroyer Tangshan, missile frigate Daqing, and comprehensive supply ship Taihu, and engaged in various training and joint exercises during its deployment.
- The 48th Escort Task Force completed its mission in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters.
- The mission lasted 378 days and covered over 150,000 nautical miles.
- The task force escorted 423 vessels during the mission.
- The fleet included the missile destroyer Tangshan, missile frigate Daqing, and comprehensive supply ship Taihu.
- The task force participated in joint exercises and friendly visits to several countries.