A reinforced mechanized infantry division performed the exercise
at the Queshan Training Base of the Jinan Military Area Command of
the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Saturday morning.
Luo Yuan, a military expert with the Academy of Military Sciences
of the PLA, said this exercise showed that the transparency of the
Chinese army was increasing and the Chinese army had become more
self-confident and mature.
The foreign military leaders and observers are from Brunei, the
Philippines, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia,
Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand,
Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The ranking officers include commander of the Brunei armed
forces, chiefs of the general staff of the Philippines and
Tajikistan, and the chief of staff of the Bangladesh army.
It is the first time the PLA invited so many foreign,
high-ranking military officers to observe a Chinese military
exercise. It is also the largest-scale military exercise open to
foreign observers.
However, this is not the first time Chinese armed forces invited
foreign servicemen to observe military exercises.
In August 25, 2003, for the first time, China invited foreign
military observers from 15 countries to watch military maneuvers at
China's largest tactical drill base. The event was aimed at
introducing Chinese armed forces to the world and strengthening
cooperation with foreign armed forces.
On Sept. 2 some 50 servicemen from China and abroad observed an
amphibian landing exercise in Shanwei of south China's Guangdong
Province.
At this event, the observers were military officials from
France, Germany, Britain and Mexico, and Chinese and foreign
students of China's University of National Defense.
At the same time, China set the principle of gradual
participation in multilateral military exercises to broaden its
cooperation with other countries. This principle was also put into
practice by the frequent joint military exercises and high-level
military cooperation.
Since 2002, China held joint military exercises with Shanghai
Cooperation Organization member countries, India, Pakistan, the
United Kingdom and France. These exercises involve non-security
fields such as anti-terrorism, anti-smuggling, drug searches and
sea rescue.
"This shows military exchanges with foreign armed forces are
shifting from non-traditional fields to the field of military
security," Luo said.
Luo said this opens new channels for Chinese army to cooperate
with foreign armed forces. China's armed forces, especially the
land forces, used to be "mysterious" for foreigners.
Fan Yuegao, also an expert with the Academy of Military Sciences
of the PLA, said this military exercise will show foreigners the
PLA's prestige and courage.
The exercises should help eliminate the misunderstanding that
some nations have formed about China and its military, Fan
said.
Nine member countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations
and four member countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organization were
invited to this exercise.
"This shows that China attaches great importance to the
cooperation with these two organizations and pushes the in-depth
cooperation with them in security," Luo said.
(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2004)
