November.04 (China Military News cited from Chinamil and written by Zhu Da and Yu Zifu) -- At 14:00 on November 1, 2009, local time, at the invitation of Rear Admiral Wang Zhiguo, commander of the third Chinese naval escort taskforce and deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet (ECSF) of the Chinese PLA Navy, Rear Adm. Scott E. Sanders, commander of the U.S. 151 Combined Task Force (CTF) and vice commander of the Naval Forces of the U.S. Central Command, and his four-member party paid a visit to the Chinese “Zhoushan” warship.

Sanders (1st L), commander of the U.S. 151 Task Formation Fleet, talks with Wang Zhiguo (front R), commander of the Chinese third convoy fleet to the Gulf of Aden on China's "Zhongshan" warship Nov. 1, 2009

Both sides firstly briefed each other about the military strength and organization of each escort taskforce. Wang Zhiguo expressed his heartfelt thanks to Scott E. Sanders for his congratulatory message to the Chinese naval escort taskforce on the occasion of 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the intelligence information support to the escort actions of the PLA Navy. Wang Zhiguo also expressed his respect to the efforts made by the U.S.151 CTF in maintaining security in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast.

Sanders said that a number of valuable intelligence information such as the escort schedule and the escort plan offered by the Chinese naval escort taskforce have become important references for the U.S. 151 CTF to organize escort operations. The successful escort of the Chinese PLA Navy has effectively ensured the navigational safety of merchant ships of all countries passing through the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast, which is really appreciated by the U.S. side.

During their meeting, the two sides made an in-depth exchange of their views on the current security situation in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast. Both sides expressed that they were willing to further continue the good co-operation in such fields as intelligence exchange on the basis of mutual trust, reciprocal benefit, equality and collaboration, and to make joint efforts to maintain the security and stability of the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast.

When Sanders inquired the situation of the 4th Chinese naval escort taskforce, Wang Zhiguo said that the 4th Chinese naval escort taskforce has already set sail from Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province on October 30 and will perform the escort task together with the 3rd Chinese naval escort taskforce for a period of time after they meet together.

After the meeting, Sanders and his party visited “Zhoushan” missile frigate and watched the performance of Chinese martial art(Wushu) and tactics given by members of the Chinese Special Operation Unit. He also chatted with the young naval officers on “Zhoushan” warship.