China’s army and air force began live-fire drills Tuesday next to its border with Myanmar, local authorities said, following recent bilateral talks on security in the area.
Myanmar’s northern Shan State has been the site of repeated clashes since late June after ethnic rebel groups renewed an offensive against the military along a vital trade highway to China.
Beijing is a major ally and arms supplier to Myanmar’s junta, but analysts say it also maintains ties with ethnic armed groups that hold territory near its border.
Earlier this month Myanmar’s embattled junta chief hosted China’s foreign minister in Naypyitaw for talks on the “stability of the border regions”.
Shan State borders China’s Yunnan province and is a vital piece of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Local authorities in Yunnan Province said the drills, held according to an “annual training plan”, would last until Thursday.
The exercises “aim to test the command’s reconnaissance, early warning, multi-dimensional control and strike capabilities”, according to a spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army, quoted by state news agency Xinhua.
Troops involved “are prepared to handle various emergencies and are committed to safeguarding national sovereignty, border stability and the safety of people’s lives and property”, the report said.
