Chinese and Omani naval officers pictured during the PLA visit to Muscat. Weibo@EasternTheatre
China has reportedly deployed six warships to the Middle East as tensions mount over the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas Movement in the Gaza Strip.
The Chinese military’s 44th naval escort task force has been involved in routine operations in the area, and spent several days on a visit to Oman last week. The task force, which includes a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, the frigate Jingzhou and the integrated supply ship Qiandaohu, left Muscat for an unspecified location on October 21 after taking part in a joint exercise with the Omani navy.
The task force has been involved in escort missions for shipping since arriving in the Gulf of Aden north of Somalia six months ago.
However, it handed over its mission to the 45th escort task force, which includes a Type 052D destroyer, the frigate Linyi and a supply ship Dongpinghu, earlier this month.
The deployment came amid a large-scale military buildup in the Middle East by the United States, who has been showing unconditional political and military support for Israel since the war broke out in Gaza. The Pentagon has deployed two carrier strike groups to the Eastern Mediterranean.
China took a more reasonable approach towards the Israeli-Hamas war. Leader Xi Jinping said on October 19 that a two-state solution to establish an independent Palestine is the “fundamental way out” of the war.
“The top priority now is a ceasefire as soon as possible, to avoid the conflict from expanding or even spiraling out of control and causing a serious humanitarian crisis,” Xi was quoted as saying by China’s state-broadcaster CCTV.
China has been working to expand its influence in the Middle East for the last few years, relying mainly on diplomacy and economic cooperation. The country’s military presence in the region is expected to grow along with its influence.
