The frigate Yancheng entered
the territorial waters of Syria on Tuesday and started the mission
in close coordination with naval vessels from Russia, Denmark and
Norway, according to the press release.
Calling the escort "a
multilateral coordination operation," the press release said
China participated in the operation in response to the appeals from
the UN Security Council and the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
It is an important measure
taken by the Chinese side to help smoothly remove and eliminate Syria's
chemical weapons and promote the political resolution of the Syrian
issue, the press release said, adding that the endeavor shows China's
contribution to the world peace and security.
A Danish vessel which
took chemicals from two sites in Syria left western Syrian port Latakia
on Tuesday, the OPCW announced in a press release.
In accordance with the
decision of the OPCW on the removal of Syrian chemical weapons and
UN Security Council Resolution 2118 in September 2013, the chemical
weapons will be transported out of Syria and will be delivered to
an American vessel for destruction. Vessels from China, Russia, Denmark
and Norway help escort the transportation of the chemical weapons.
The deadline for destroying
Syria's entire chemical weapons program is June 30, 2014.
