On Friday 30 January the EU Force Commander and COMGRUEUROMARFOR, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, visited the Commander of the Chinese Escort Task Group 547, Rear Admiral Jiang Gouping, on board the Chinese flagship, CNS Linyi.

Rear Admiral Rando was accompanied by the Commanding Officer of the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, Captain Angelo Virdis and a representative from his EU Naval Force staff. They were winched on board CNS Linyi via ITS Andrea Doria’s EH101 Augusta Westland helicopter.

The visit began with a presentation on the Chinese Escort Task Group’s counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. A staff officer from the EU Naval Force then gave an update on Operation Atalanta.

During the visit Rear Admiral Gouping emphasised the importance and success of the cooperation and coordination between counter-piracy forces and welcomed future exercises between EU Naval Force and Chinese vessels as a way of further improving mutual trust and understanding.

On completion of the visit, the EU Naval Force delegation returned to ITS Andrea Doria and continued their counter-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia.