China, Pakistan armies to conduct counterterrorism drills

Chinese and Pakistani armies will conduct a joint training exercise in Korla, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, in mid-to-late October, a Chinese defense spokesman said on Saturday.

Chen Xi, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said at an online news briefing that the exercise, code-named Karakoram 2026, will focus on joint counterterrorism operations in high-altitude areas.

The training will include drone operation, on-the-move target search and firing, and long-range sniping, as well as joint command exercises and live-force drills, Chen said.

He said the exercise will be the first joint army training between the two countries and will help deepen exchanges and cooperation while enhancing their ability to jointly respond to terrorist threats.