China’s PLA starts live-fire drills with Myanmar in border security test as junta-rebel clashes escalate
- Drills on Chinese side of border aim to test ‘rapid mobilising, border sealing, and fire strike’ powers, PLA’s Southern Theatre Command says
- China has urged Myanmar to guarantee border safety and stability as the junta loses ground to armed rebel groups since clashes broke out in October
The “real combat training”, taking place on the Chinese side of the border, aims to test the “rapid mobilising, border sealing, and fire strike [capabilities]” of the People’s Liberation Army, its Southern Theatre Command said.
“[Our] troops are always prepared to respond to various unexpected situations and are determined to safeguard [China’s] national sovereignty, border stability, and the safety of people’s lives and property,” a spokesman was quoted as saying on the command’s official WeChat social media account.
The brief post did not offer details on how long the drills would last, their exact location or the number of troops involved.
The rare joint exercises come amid fears of China’s border security being threatened as a coordinated offensive by northern rebel groups has the Myanmese junta facing its toughest challenge since seizing power in a military coup in 2021.
