China Now Has Six Warships in the Middle East: Reports

According to reports, up to six Chinese warships are currently stationed in the Middle East region.

The China’s People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) reported engagement in a joint military exercise with the Omani navy while visiting Oman earlier this week, and then moved to Kuwait to spend a "five-day goodwill visit." 

“After successfully concluding its visit to Oman, the 44th Chinese naval escort taskforce arrived at Shuwaikh Port, Kuwait, as planned, on the morning of October 18, for a five-day goodwill visit," the Chinese Ministry of Defense wrote in a statement. 

The South China Morning Post reported that the 44th escort task force "has been involved in escort missions for shipping since arriving in the Gulf of Aden north of Somalia six months ago," but was relieved of that duty by the 45th escort task force earlier this month.

According to the news outlet, the warships still in the region include the Zibo, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, the frigate Jingzhou and the supply ship Qiandaohu.

China's moves come at a time of conflict in the region, as the Israel-Hamas war enters its third week.

China’s president, Xi Jinping, said the top priority for Israel and Hamas should be “a ceasefire as soon as possible, to avoid the conflict from expanding or even spiraling out of control and causing a serious humanitarian crisis," he said according to reports from The South China Morning Post. 

The move comes as the U.S. deployed the USS Gerald R Ford, the largest aircraft carrier ever built, and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Eastern Mediterranean to the region. 

Additionally, the U.S. is sending the USS Normandy cruiser and destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney and USS Roosevelt. It also is providing Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region, according to The Associated Press.