China sending ships to fight pirates in Africa, re

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China sending ships to fight pirates in Africa, re
« Thread Started on Dec 17, 2008, 11:24pm »

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China sending ships to fight pirates in Africa, reports say
Posted: 09:25 PM ET
BEIJING, China (CNN) — China plans to send a fleet of ships to help patrol the pirate-infested waters off the Horn of Africa, Chinese media reported Thursday.

The move would be a rare one for China, which has not sent military ships far from its shores in centuries but which, along with other countries, has seen its commercial ships repeatedly falling prey to pirate attacks that have ramped up dramatically in recent months.

The news comes a day after the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution that allows members of an international coalition force to pursue pirates onto land. China is the last permanent member of the security council that has not yet committed forces to the effort.