China has stationed six warships to the Middle East as the conflict between Israel and Hamas escalates, according to reports.
The 44th Naval Escort Task Force- from the People’s Liberation Army( PLA) Eastern Theatre- has been involved in routine operations in the region and spent several days in Oman last week.
The Chinese warships left Muscat for an unidentified position on Saturday after sharing in an exercise with the Omani cortege .
The task force includes the Zibo, a guided bullet destroyer, the frigate Jingzhou, and the force boat Qiandaohu- all of which will be posted in the Middle East as Israel prepares for a ground irruption of Gaza.
During the visit to Oman, Chinese commanders met with Omani military officers and visited military institutions, while mariners from both countries voyaged shops and indeed organized a basketball game, according to a state news agency.
Since arriving in the Gulf of Aden north of Somalia six months agone , the PLA task force has been involved in companion operations for shipping. still, it handed over its charge to the 45th task force- from the PLA’s Northern Theatre command- earlier this month.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping said on Thursday that a two- state result to establish an independent Palestine is the “ abecedarian way out ” of the Israel- Hamas war.
According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, Xi said “ The top precedence now is a ceasefire as soon as possible, to avoid the conflict from expanding or indeed twisting out of control and causing a serious philanthropic extremity. ”
China’s deployment comes after the US transferred a important magazine to the Middle East before this week.
The US transferred two aircraft carriers including the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS DwightD. Eisenhower- to the eastern Mediterranean along with aeroplanes that could carry out airstrikes. Indeed more aeroplanes have been dispatched to US military bases in the region, including F- 15 and F- 16 fighter spurt squadrons.
The increased military presence in the Middle East reflects concern in Washington that rising pressures in Israel could come an each-out war.
