China, Russia hold 'Oriental - 2014' joint anti-terrorism drill

The officers and men from China and Russia are handling the "checkpoint breaking" incident during the drill. The "Oriental -2014" joint anti-terrorism and emergency-handling drill kicked off at the Manzhouli-Zabaykalsk border port on the morning of August 26, 2014. (Chinamil.com.cn/Zhang Tiannan)

The "Oriental -2014" joint anti-terrorism and emergency-handling drill, organized by the Border Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security of China and the Border Defense Bureau of the Security Administration of Russia, kicked off at the Manzhouli-Zabaykalsk border port on the morning of August 26, 2014.

The drill is to expand the role and influence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the field of international anti-terrorism struggle, deepen pragmatic cooperation in maintaining stability in border areas and fighting against terrorism between border authorities of member states of the SCO, enhance the capability in border management and control of the Chinese and Russian border authorities, and effectively striking the infiltration and sabotage activities conducted by the "three evil forces".

The background of the drill was that a group of criminal suspects conducted violent terrorist attacks in China's territory and tried to escape from China through the Manzhouli-Zabaykalsk port.

The drill involves six actual-troop subjects including intelligence exchange and joint decision-making, inspection by port personnel, handling of hostage-taking incident, seizing of the smuggling of arms and ammunition, handling of "driving and breaking checkpoint" and cross-border transfer.

During the drill, the two sides used visual remote command system, electronic geographic information system, "Sat-com on the move" satellite command vehicle, radar surveillance vehicle and 3G individual image transmission system, successfully hunted down all terrorist suspects and seized bullets and explosives.

Subsequently, China and Russia started the repatriation and transfer mechanism and the port restored normal clearance.

The Chinese delegation comprising representatives from the International Cooperation Bureau and the Anti-terrorism Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, led by Wu Dongli, director of the Border Control Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, observed the drill.

Over 80 representatives from the border defense authorities of 15 countries including the SCO member states, namely China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, observer countries, namely India, Iran and Mongolia, and other countries, namely The DPRK, Laos, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam and Afghanistan, and representatives of the SCO Regional Anti-terrorism Set-up (RATS) Executive Committee, as well as police liaison officers from the Chinese embassies/consulates in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan observed the drill.