Foreign and Military Affairs

China committed to military transparency: official

By Li Xiaokun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-09-17 11:34

China committed to military transparency: official

Soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) head for their training in Otar in southern Kazakhstan on Sept 7, 2010, in preparation for the anti-terrorism military drills.[Photo/Xinhua]

MATYBULAK, Kazakhstan - Beijing's decision to send some of its most advanced weapons to the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) joint military drill is partly driven by its commitment to make the military more transparent, a top military officer said on Thursday.

"All the equipment we brought here are relatively good and advanced ones," said Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The equipment includes tanks, armored cars, artilleries, aerial defense weaponries, helicopters, and fighting jets, he said.

The equipment was "all presented in the military parade for the 60th anniversary (of the People's Republic of China) last year. They are flexible, with strong firepower and relatively advanced information technology," he said.

The arrangement is to "improve the transparency" of the Chinese military, he said.

It also shows the importance China attaches to the anti-terrorism drill and the Chinese military's resolution and capability to fight terrorism, said the director-in-chief of the Chinese side for the drill.

The general also stressed that the SCO is not a military league, while the Peace Mission 2010 drill is not targeted at any country.

"We'll join the other SCO member countries…to face multiple security threats and cooperate in various fields including fighting terrorism," he said.

The Chinese military has adapted to the situation in Kazakhstan and is well prepared for firing cannons, the most eye-catching part of the drill, Ma said.

Set against the background of potential terrorism triggering a regional crisis, the exercise involving about 5,000 troops is scheduled for Sept 9-25. It is the seventh of its kind under the SCO flag.

China has sent about 1,000 troops from the Beijing Military Area Command by train to the drill.

Russia and Kazakhstan also sent more than 1,000 troops each, while Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan dispatched more than 100 each.

Defense ministers from the five nations will oversee the final drill, set to start Sept 24. All nations will also put their weapons on show.

The security situation in Central Asia and bordering countries is complex, with terrorism becoming rampant.

A suicide bomber set off a powerful blast near a busy market in Russia's North Caucasus last Thursday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens.

Founded in 2001 in Shanghai, the SCO consists of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.