Has China killed pirates?

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense clarified the extent of the Chinese Navy’s anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean.

China Burnishes Anti-Piracy Credentials Without Clarifying Possible Use of Lethal Force

By Ankit Panda

A few weeks ago, I discussed China’s aspirations to burnish its anti-piracy credentials by responding forcefully to the new resurgence in piracy off the Horn of Africa.

In at least two incidents in April, Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy vessels, assisted by the Indian Navy in at least one of the two instances, acted as first responders. In the first incident, Chinese forces rescued the crew of a Tuvalu-flagged bulk carrier, the OS 35, and in the second, the PLAN responded to a distressed Panamanian-flagged carrier, the Alheera. With reference to the latter, Voice of America reported that unidentified “foreign naval forces” used lethal force against the pirates.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: thediplomat.com