China: An Attempt to Rescue Hostages from Somali Pirates

China announced Oct. 20 that it will make an "all out" attempt to rescue 25 crew members being held hostage on a bulk carrier ship, the De Xin Hai, which was hijacked by Somali pirates Oct. 19. The pirates are threatening to kill the hostages, but this is likely a bluff; hostages mean leverage and the possibility of ransom money. The Chinese have been ambiguous about whether they will attempt a raid, but if they do, it will be a revealing test of their naval capabilities.