Crew members on the merchant vessel "Lemin" hold Chinese national flag and a banner to welcome the Chinese navy fleet which will escort it to pass through the Gulf of Aden, on February 1, 2009. The Chinese naval fleet started carrying out the 15th batch of escort missions against pirates February 1. [Xinhua]

Chinese navy soldiers on Chinese destroyer Wuhan wave to a merchant vessel as they escort it to pass through the Gulf of Aden, on February 1, 2009. The Chinese naval fleet started carrying out the 15th batch of escort missions against pirates February 1. [Xinhua]