The eighth Chinese naval escort fleet, which consists of two missile frigates, left on Monday for the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters to protect merchant ships from rampant piracy in the area.

Family members wave goodbye to the sailors and Chinese naval officers who have been sent out to the Gulf of Aden for the anti-piracy mission in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, Feb 21, 2011. Missile destroyers "Wenzhou" and "Ma'anshan", backbone warships of the eighth Chinese naval fleet, heading for the Gulf of Aden, will meet with the supply ship of "Qiandaohu" to conduct anti-piracy mission. [Xinhua]

After arriving, the two ships -- Ma'anshan and Wenzhou -- will be joined by Qiandaohu, a supply ship that is already patrolling the waters with the seventh escort fleet.

China sent its first convoy fleet to the Gulf of Aden and the Somali waters in December 2008. The seven convoy fleets have so far escorted over 3,400 Chinese and foreign ships through troubled waters and have rescued 33 ships from pirate attacks.