Joint drills vital for security

China began sending troops and armament to Russia on July 27 to take part in the China-Russia joint counter-terrorism exercise, code-named Peace Mission 2013. The drill, to start on Aug 3, comes on the heels of the Joint Sea 2013 drill between the People's Liberation Army Navy and Russia's Pacific Fleet and North Sea Fleet off the Russian port city of Vladivostok from July 5 to 12.

Since this is the first time China and Russia are holding two large-scale drills within a month, they have drawn international attention. The world community, however, has nothing to worry about because Peace Mission 2013 is a counter-terrorism drill and part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization framework, and China and Russia have been holding such exercises since 2005.

About 1,500 ground and air forces, including combat troops and logistics personnel will take part in Peace Mission 2013. The 20-day exercise in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains will be divided into three phases: troop deployment, planning operations and campaign exercises.