Chinese senior officers said yesterday that the large-scale
joint anti-terrorism exercise conducted by the member countries of
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will improve their
ability to coordinate their fight against terrorism and help
guarantee regional security and stability.
They made these remarks in Kazakhstan's border city of Ucharal
where the joint maneuver started yesterday.
Lieutenant General Li Qianyuan, head of the Chinese military
delegation and Commander of the Lanzhou Military Command, said in
an interview that the Chinese army will exchange anti-terror
experience with troops of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Kazakhstan, and that they will discuss ways to work together to
fight international terrorism.
The high-level military exercise shows that the SCO member
states take the same stand and have the same determination to fight
terrorism, separatism and extremism, Li said.
He also said it is an important for the SCO states to step up
military cooperation, to further foster mutual trust among their
armed forces, and to strengthen regional cooperation against
terrorism.
The Chinese government stands firmly against terrorism of all
kinds, and calls for closer international cooperation and removal
of the roots of terrorism, Li said.
He added that the exercise displays again China's determination
and confidence in the fight against terrorism.
Lieutenant General Qiu Yanhan, commander of China's Xinjiang
Military Command, said that a joint command staffed by military
experts and officers of the five countries has been set up for the
exercise.
Qiu expressed his belief that the maneuver, the largest since
the establishment of SCO, will contribute to increasing cooperation
and coordination of activities in fighting terrorism.
An official who is in charge of the foreign affairs office of
China's Ministry of National Defense said it is the first time for
the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) to take part in such a
large-scale joint anti-terror exercise. This exercise represents
one of the effective ways for member countries to carry out
military exchanges and cooperation.
The official said that during the exercise, the leaders,
commanders and soldiers from member countries would cooperate
closely. It was also a chance for the PLA to display the caliber of
its military.
He believes that the exercise will promote understanding,
friendship, cooperation and development between the PLA and
military forces of the other member countries.
The SCO was formed in June 2001 by China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Following the success of a Sino-Kyrgyzstan joint anti-terror
exercise held last year, the defense ministers from the five member
countries of SCO signed, at the summit held in Moscow last May, a
memorandum on conducting this joint anti-terrorist military
exercise.
(China Daily August 7, 2003)