China has decided to dispatch a fleet to the region amid the rising tensions sparked by the Iran-backed Houthi militias’ attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. The 46th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy sailed for the region on Wednesday, departing Zhanjiang, a coastal city in Guangdong province, reported the Xinhua News Agency. The deployment is part of China's ongoing efforts to secure the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. It replaces the 45th fleet.