Backgrounder: Major PLA-related joint anti-terror military exercises and trainings

KUNMING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Indian armies kicked off their first-ever joint anti-terrorism military training code-named "Hand-in-Hand 2007" in southwest China Friday morning. Both armies dispatched about 100 ground troops for the training.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has conducted a string of joint anti-terrorism military exercises and trainings with foreign armies since 2002, endeavoring to enhance mutual-trust, strengthen exchanges in the field of anti-terrorism, deter "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and safeguard regional peace and stability.

Following are some major events in this regard:

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The PLA and the armed forces of Kyrgyzstan held a joint anti-terror military exercise code-named " Exercise-01" on the border of the two countries.

It was the first time for PLA to hold a joint military maneuver with a foreign army and also the first bilateral anti-terror exercise conducted by members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Hundreds of troops from both sides participated in the exercise.

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Armed forces from the then five SCO member countries including China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan took part in a joint anti-terror exercise code-named "Coalition-2003" in Kazakhstan's border city of Ucharal and Ili, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

It was the first exercise of its kind within the framework of the SCO and also the first time China participated in multilateral joint military maneuver. About 1,300 troops participated in the exercise.

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PLA and the Armed Forces of Pakistan held their first-ever joint anti-terrorism exercise code-named "Friendship-2004" in Xinjiang's Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, which is located on the Pamirs at over 4,000 meters, bordering Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. About 200 border troops from both sides participated in the drill.

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China and Russia held their first joint anti-terror military exercise code-named "Peace Mission-2005". The one-week maneuver, which involved 10,000 troops from the two countries, started in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East and later moved to east China's Shandong Peninsula.

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China and Tajikistan held their first joint anti-terror military exercise code-named "Coordination-2006" in Kulyab, Tajikistan. More than300 Tajik troops from the artillery, infantry and airborne divisions, as well as a reinforced company of more than 150 Chinese troops, participated in the drill.

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China and Pakistan held their second joint anti-terror military training code-named "Friendship-2006" in the hilly area of northern Pakistan's Abbottabad. More than 400 troops from both armies took part in the exercise.

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China and Thailand held their first-ever combined anti-terror training of special troops code-named "Strike-2007" in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. The two-week training also marked the first joint military training China held with other countries. The anti-terror training involved 30 soldiers from the special troops of both sides.

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The joint anti-terrorism military exercise code-named "Peace Mission-2007" was jointly held by the current six member countries of SCO in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural mountainous region and Urumqi, capital of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. More than 4,000 troops from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan participated in the exercise, the largest of its kind within the framework of SCO since the organization was founded on June 15, 2001.