Commander Combined Task Force (CCTF) 151 Rear Admiral (Radm) Ken Cheong visited the Chinese Naval Ship (CNS) Xiang Tan in Djibouti.
Radm Cheong was hosted onboard CNS Xiang Tan by Commander Escort Task Group (ETG) 531, Captain Wang Hong Li and the Commanding Officer of CNS Xiang Tan, Captain Dong Qian.
The commanders shared their understanding of counter-piracy operations and their different task forces operating in the region. They agreed that piracy cannot be deterred by any single country and it required the combined efforts of like-minded navies, maritime agencies and shipping industry to defeat it.
Radm Cheong also emphasized the importance of intelligence-sharing between CTF 151’s units, the various counter-piracy task forces in the Gulf and independent deployers to help provide a more accurate assessment of life in the region. The meeting also emphasised the need for a strong military presence to suppress illegal activities.
Radm Cheong took the opportunity to thank CNS Xiang Tan for her counter piracy contributions in the Gulf, he said: “I am heartened to witness the steadfast commitment from various navies to work together in our fight against piracy, this ensures a safe and secure operating environment for the shipping community.”
CTF 151 is part of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and was established in 2009 and is focused on the disruption of piracy and armed robbery in the maritime environment. CTF 151 also engages with regional and other partners to build capacity and improve relevant capabilities in order to secure freedom of navigation and protect global maritime commerce.
CMF is a multi-national naval partnership that operates within international law and achieves results by co-operation, pooling resources and actively supporting regional maritime forces patrolling their own maritime environment.
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) 