ON BOARD HAIKOU: The Chinese navy joined its counterparts from other countries to fight Somali pirates and successfully escorted the first fleet of ships through the Gulf of Aden yesterday.

Two navy destroyers and a large supply vessel escorted four Chinese merchant ships, one of which was from the Hong Kong special administrative region, off the coast of Somalia.

About 30 ships from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong have sought the navy's help to sail past the horn of Africa, where Somali pirates have created terror, especially in the past year.