The Chinese Military Stepping onto the World Stage | The "China Coordinate" on the Gulf of Aden
Chinese vessel "Airina" sends a letter of thanks to the Navy's 48th Escort Task Force——
The "China Coordinate" on the Gulf of Aden
■ Liu Sifu, Yang Hongxuan, PLA Daily special correspondent Ma Yubin
The Navy's 48th Escort Task Force underway in waters of the Gulf of Aden. Photo by PLA Daily special correspondent Ma Yubin.
"In the Gulf of Aden, far from the motherland, you have built for us an unbreakable 'security shield'… You are the 'China Coordinate' we can find at the first moment when we encounter danger in foreign waters." In certain waters of the Gulf of Aden, sunlight pours across the deep-blue shipping lane as warships carve blossoms of white foam. Aboard the Daqing, the lead vessel of the Navy's 48th Escort Task Force nearing the end of its escort mission, crew member Wu Di read aloud a letter of thanks received not long ago, while officers and soldiers seated around the study room listened attentively, deeply moved.
The letter came from the Chinese vessel "Airina," which had previously been escorted by the task force. Captain Feng Kexiang, on behalf of the entire crew, expressed respect and gratitude to the task force's officers and soldiers. The letter also brought back memories of the two escort missions the task force had conducted for the "Airina."
In February of this year, the task force received its first escort request from the "Airina." Taking into account the vessel's relatively low speed and freeboard, which made it vulnerable to pirate attack, the task force accepted the request and designated the "Airina" as a priority protection target, tracking its position information throughout the entire voyage to ensure it could respond at the first moment under any circumstances.
"Watching the escorted vessel sail safely on the monitor—that feeling of protecting a loved one is unforgettable," recalled Daqing crew member Ma Jiugong, reflecting on the scene. "We contacted the escorted vessel at regular intervals, and only when we heard the other side reply 'all is normal' could we temporarily set our minds at ease."
On June 8, the task force escorted the "Airina" once again. Throughout the mission, the task force closely monitored escort information bulletins and conducted real-time surveillance of the surrounding maritime situation, until the "Airina" was safely delivered to the release point. On the evening of June 11, the "Airina" conducted its final communication with the task force. "All the crew members asked me to say thank you to you one more time," said Captain Feng Kexiang. "With you here, we are at ease."
"I never expected the crew members to keep this in their hearts and even write a letter specially for it," said Zhao Xuanchun, who was on duty when he finished reading the letter, with pride. "What we did was simply our duty. Seeing an evaluation like 'China Coordinate' is truly moving. It is an affirmation of our dedication and perseverance."
Young soldier Ding Yuanhe was executing a far-seas escort mission aboard ship for the first time. After reading the letter, he said with feeling: "To be honest, during the escort, doing the same work facing a radar screen every day could sometimes feel monotonous. But when I saw the photos of the 'Airina' crew spontaneously unfurling a five-star red flag on the deck to thank the motherland's navy for the escort, I suddenly understood that every blip of light we stare at, every phone call we receive, is connected to the safety and well-being of our compatriots."
Special operations unit member Liu Peng, during a break between counterterrorism and counter-piracy drills, shared the letter of thanks with his fellow unit members: "This is the meaning of our perseverance here." Wang Haoxin, the youngest member of the special operations unit, wrote in his notebook: "Before, I felt that 'the motherland is strong' was only a grand concept. Today I finally understand that these words are also embodied in every mission we carry out. We are the visible source of confidence for the motherland's ocean-going merchant vessels, the 'China Coordinate' in the hearts of seafarers."
"It reminds me that on this ocean far from the motherland, what we are guarding is not only the shipping lanes, but also the trust of the motherland's people." Ma Jiugong uses this letter as a constant spur to himself.
Tides rise and fall; waves roll on. Before long, the 48th Escort Task Force will pass the baton to the next escort task force. Successive batches of China Navy escort vessels will continue to sail, fulfilling their mission with loyalty and commitment.