The 12th Chinese naval escort flotilla prepare to set sail at a port in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 3, 2012. The 12th Chinese naval escort flotilla left Zhoushan for the escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect commercial ships from pirate attacks. China's naval fleets have escorted 3,400 foreign ships over the past 10 years, around 51.5 percent of the total escorted, according to a Ministry of National Defense statement. Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the ministry, told a press conference that China sent the first naval fleet to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia for escort missions on Dec. 26, 2008. Since then, 31 fleets have escorted more than 6,600 ships from worldwide, and rescued over 70 ships in danger, Wu said. Protection provided by the Chinese naval fleet has been widely praised. Some foreign ships would rather wait several days to be escorted by the fleet, the statement said. The Chinese naval fleet has shouldered its international obligations, offering high-quality public security products for the international community. The Chinese naval fleet has paid 103 visits to 63 countries so far, according to the spokesperson. In the future, Chinese naval forces will continue their commitment to maintaining world peace and stability, Wu said. (Xinhua/Hua Zhibo)