China holds live-fire drills near Myanmar border

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA)forces on Tuesday staged an air-ground live-fire drill in south China, close to the border with Myanmar, military sources said.

The joint drill, carried out by the Southern Theater Command of the PLA according to anannual training schedule, was aimed at testing the troops’ capabilities in rapid maneuver, precise destruction, vertical blockade and joint strike.

The live-fire drills of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Southwest China’s YunnanProvince near the Myanmar border on Tuesday serves as a warning to both the Myanmar government and ethnic militias that their conflict should not cross over to China, Chinese experts said.

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

As required in a live-fire drill, the exercise sites and attack targets were randomly selected, the sources said, adding that armored infantry, artillery, air defense, army aviation, and air force units participated in the drill.

They coordinated closely and attacked targets precisely, the sources said. Under powerful fire support from air and ground, the armored infantry unit moved rapidly, forming a blockade of passage.

Colonel Fang Xin, who was with the the theater command, said the live-fire drill demonstrated the PLA’s resolve and will in safeguarding national security in border areaand air defense and protecting people’s safety and their property.

It also showed the PLA’s capability to win in these missions, Fang added.

The sources said Chinese authorities had informed Myanmar of the drill before it kicked off.

Readers who wish to follow our weekly coverage can subscribe to the Weekly Defense Roundup.

If you wish to report a grammatical or factual error in this article, please let us know by using the online form.

Executive Editor

Support The Defence Blog

Independent reporting takes resources. Join us on Patreon.

Become a patron

More Like This

China claims its J-10 swept one of Europe’s best jets 9-0

Pakistan's Chinese-made J-10CE fighter jets went undefeated against Qatar's Eurofighter Typhoons in nine simulated air combat engagements during a joint exercise in 2024, with...

Chinese firm sells radar stealth coating for drones

Making a drone invisible to radar used to require years of classified engineering work, precision manufacturing, and a defense budget measured in billions. A...

China tells U.S. Korea commander he crossed the line

The top American general in South Korea described the Korean Peninsula as "the dagger in the heart of Asia" from China's perspective, and China's...

After China’s balloon scandal, the U.S. Army is building its own fleet

Three years after a Chinese balloon drifted across the continental United States and was shot down off the South Carolina coast, the U.S. Army...

Pentagon pushes domestic rare earth magnet production

Every cruise missile, every fighter jet, every missile defense interceptor, and every military helicopter flying today depends on a class of magnets so powerful...