Foreign and Military Affairs

China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan stage joint anti-terror drill

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-07 09:39

KASHI, Xinjiang - China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Friday conducted a joint anti-terror drill in Kashi of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Members of armed police force wait for inspection during a joint anti-terror drill in Kaxgar, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, May 6, 2011. China.  [Photo/Xinhua]

Code-named "Tianshan-II (2011)," the exercise featured how law enforcers and security personnel from the three countries have coordinated efforts to locate and crack down on "terrorists" in the border region.

The anti-terror exercise consisted of three parts, namely decision-making and command, freeing abductees by force, and cleanup operation at designated venues.

Aiming to improve the countries' ability to respond to terrorism in all forms, the drill was organized as the "three evil forces" of terrorism, splittism and extremism have been colluding with the "East Turkistan" terrorist forces to involve in cross-border activities in recent years, waiting for opportune moments to start up disturbances, which have remained a common threat to SCO member states, said a spokesman for the national counter-terrorism office of China.

The drill is the second such joint anti-terrorism exercise that China's law enforcement bodies have participated in within the SCO framework.

In August 2006, law enforcement bodies and special forces from China and Kazakhstan conducted an anti-terror drill, Tianshan-I (2006), in Xinjiang.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, SCO comprises six member countries, namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

While heralding Friday's joint drill a success, Meng Hongwei, chair of SCO's regional anti-terror agency council and China's deputy minister of public security, said the drill demonstrated the resolution and capability of the three countries and the SCO in combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, splittism and extremism in the region.

Meng added China is willing to further the exchanges and cooperation with other SCO member states and their law-enforcement and security departments to ensure the security and stability of all SCO members and the region as a whole.