But the Foreign Ministry was more cautious in its regular press conference, saying the country was preparing for the mission and details would be available in a few days.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Vice-Minister He Yafei told a United Nations conference that China was seriously considering sending its navy to join an international operation in the Gulf of Aden to fight increasingly emboldened pirates, who have been seeking ransoms of about US$1 million per ship.

The United Nations gave permission for international forces in the area to pursue the bandits on land, after extending the mandate for international combat against Somali pirates to one year.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Beijing was sending the navy to the area under the UN framework, since piracy there had already become a 'threat to the international community'.

If realised, the mission would be China's first naval operation outside its immediate waters in the modern Chinese era, and as some point out, even in the 600 years since Ming dynasty voyager Zheng He ventured to the Cape of Good Hope.

The Kenya Seafarers' Assistance Programme said more than 300 ships were attacked or hijacked off Somalia last year. Between January and last month, more than 40 ships were hijacked, with 600 crew members on board. Half of these vessels are still in pirates' hands.

Mr Liu said for Chinese ships alone, 20 per cent of the 1,256 journeys made through the Gulf of Aden in the first 11 months faced attacks.

Seven China-related vessels have been hijacked this year, including two that were Chinese-flagged, several that were Hong Kong-flagged and other international vessels with Chinese crew members or cargo onboard. One of these is still being held.

The latest attack on a Chinese ship was launched on Wednesday morning, just as Beijing announced its long-deliberated decision to combat pirates in the area.

But although the pirates boarded the ship, they were forced to retreat four hours later after a 'multilateral' rescue effort.

The MV Zhenhua-4, a 60,000-tonne transport ship owned by the Chinese Communication Construction Company, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden but the 30 Chinese sailors onboard held the pirates off until a Malaysian frigate and helicopter arrived and deterred the pirates.

'We would like to express our gratitude to Malaysia and the concerned international organisation,' Mr Liu said, referring to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Plagued by Islamist insurgents, droughts and a dysfunctional transitional government, Somalia has been mired in anarchy for 17 years, making piracy a much-desired and easy occupation for many people. UN agencies said up to 40 per cent of the country's 10 million people would be starving but for donated food.