China’s military to hold live-fire exercise on Myanmar border as fighting continues

The announcement of the drill in Yunnan province follows a similar exercise held in November as rebel groups began a major offensive against the junta

Earlier this year five people in the Chinese border town of Nansan were injured when shells crossed the border from Myanmar

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Members of the PLA pictured on patrol near the border with Myanmar. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:00am, 2 Apr 2024Updated: 10:00am, 2 Apr 2024

The Chinese military is set to conduct a series of live-fire exercises near its border with Myanmar as fighting between rebel forces and the ruling military junta continues.

China has frequently expressed its concerns about cross-border stability and protested after shells fired in Myanmar injured five people in the border town of Nansan in January.

The autonomous prefecture of Dehong Dai and Jingpo in Yunnan said on Monday that a joint-force live-fire exercise will take place in two counties bordering Myanmar on Tuesday and Wednesday.

During the exercise, people will not be allowed to enter five designated areas in the border counties of Yingjiang and Longchuan, take photographs or fly drones.

The Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday confirmed that its army and navy would take part in the drill, which spokesman Tian Junli said was aimed at testing the forces’ capabilities of “rapid manoeuvre, precise destruction, three-dimensional sealing and control and joint strike”.

“Troops in the theatre are always prepared to respond to various emergencies and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, border stability and the safety of people’s lives and property,” Tian said, according to a statement on the command’s official WeChat account.

The PLA last conducted live-fire drills in the area in November – weeks after an alliance of three armed groups began a major offensive against the junta in the Kokang region of Shan state, which borders China.

China’s military to hold live-fire exercise on Myanmar border as fighting continues

The announcement of the drill in Yunnan province follows a similar exercise held in November as rebel groups began a major offensive against the junta Earlier this year five people in the Chinese border town of Nansan were injured when shells crossed the border from Myanmar

The announcement of the drill in Yunnan province follows a similar exercise held in November as rebel groups began a major offensive against the junta

Earlier this year five people in the Chinese border town of Nansan were injured when shells crossed the border from Myanmar