Staff Reporter
Want China Times
August 19, 2014
PLA troops arrive at the training base in Zhurihe, Inner Mongolia on Aug. 18. (Photo/Xinhua)
China is preparing to lead a major multinational anti-terror exercise that carries strong political and diplomatic significance, reports Duowei News, an outlet run by overseas Chinese.
Peace Mission-2014 will be held between Aug. 24 and Aug. 29 in Zhurihe, China’s largest and most modern training base located Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in the northern part of the country. The countries taking part will be China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, all members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a Eurasian political, economic and military alliance founded in 2001.
Around 7,000 personnel will take part in the non-traditional security cooperation aimed at striking regional terrorism, with the People’s Liberation Army’s Air Force and Ground Force taking the lead, according to Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.
Russia will deploy about 900 troops for the drills together with Su-25 fighter jets and Mi-8 helicopters, while its Il-76 transport aircraft and Tu-154 narrow-body airliner will be responsible for airlift missions. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan meanwhile will mostly be sending special forces units.
Liu Zhenli, commander of the PLA’s 38th Army, said the drills will be much closer to real combat situations than previous exercises, with hidden targets and battle plans designed in accordance with the unfamiliar terrain.
“This military exercise has strong political and diplomatic significance,” said Chinese military commentator Wu Ge. “It shows that China is not isolated when it comes to military cooperation.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not a military coalition, meaning that each country is acting in its own strategic interests by participating in the drills, Wu said. However, in the face of growing terror threats, multinational cooperation must be enhanced, he added.
