China, Kazakhstan finish phase 2 of joint drill "Tianshan-I"

Source: CCTV.com | 08-27-2006 10:01

China and Kazakhstan have concluded the second phase of their joint anti-terror drill. The three days war game was the first joint exercise between the law enforcement authorities and special forces of the two countries.

The second phase of the drill simulates a battle between border police and international terrorists. The police forces included artillery, dogs, special troops and cavalry. In two hours time, the terrorists were surrounded in a narrow valley. Before long they were captured and the drill declared a success.

Some seven hundred police were deployed in the game. With traditional combat units as well as modern ones, the security forces explored new anti-terror maneuvers. Chinese officials said this exercise could help expand coordination within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Ministry of public security vice minister Men Hongwei said:"China will strengthen cooperation with other SCO member countries. These areas include law enforcement, information gathering, and the drafting of anti-terror policies."

Code named "Tianshan One", the drill was launched along the two countries' border region. The second phase is in Yining in Xinjiang the first was in Almaty. China shares a seventeen hundred kilometer border with Kazakhstan, the longest after its boundary with Russia.

Security authorities say such maneuvers are aimed at fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism. Some hundred observers monitored this three days exercise. They include officials from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.