Both drills were overseen by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Southern Theatre Command, and it is also involved in the joint exercises with Laos. The command is in charge of defence in southern China and the South China Sea, most of which Beijing lays claim to despite an international ruling that invalidated its claim.
China and Laos conducted joint humanitarian exercises in July last year, where troops simulated military rescue missions on a train with pandemic control equipment on board. It was part of the “Peace Train” medical drills between the two armed forces on the China-Laos Railway, a flagship project under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
In the latest drills, the PLA and Laotian military will simulate fighting against “illegal activities by transnational armed criminal groups” based in the jungle and mountainous areas, Xinhua reported on Thursday.
More than 900 troops will take part, with China’s personnel drawn from the PLA Ground Force 75th Group Army, Colonel Ren Youzong, commander of the Chinese troops in the drill, previously told state broadcaster CCTV.
Ren said China had sent more than 300 items of equipment to Laos for the exercises, including assault vehicles, ordnance, and minesweeping and explosive disposal equipment.
CCTV also reported that the PLA’s training would focus on the firing of light weapons and artillery, as well as tactics employed by squads, platoons and companies.
China and Laos signed a joint statement in December vowing to work more closely together in defence and to cooperate on military drills and training, during a visit to Beijing by Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith. The Laotian leader and Chinese President Xi Jinping also promised to work together on counterterrorism and border control.
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China-Laos railway to start cross-border passenger service as ticket sales begin
Laos has one of the closest relationships with China among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean. Most foreign direct investment in Laos comes from China – in 2021 Chinese investments totalled US$1.3 billion, or 66 per cent of all FDI, according to the latest data from the Laotian Investment Promotion Department.
Meanwhile, infrastructure projects such as the China-Laos Railway have allowed landlocked Laos to expand trade with its neighbours.
