2nd phase of "Peace Mission 2005" held
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-08-20 10:40

The second phase of the on-going "Peace Mission 2005" joint military exercise by Chinese and Russian armies was held in east China's coastal city of Qingdao Saturday.

The main purpose of the second phase focused on the transportation and deployment of troops, decision making and adjustment, and organization of coordinated actions, said Major General Zhang Qinsheng, Chinese chief of the staff for the joint exercise headquarters.

Liang Guanglie, chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), witnessed the drill.

A Russian Il-76 transport plane taxies on the runway after landing at Weifang Airport in East China's Shandong Peninsula Saturday morning, August 20, 2005. [Xinhua]

In the headquarters of the North Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy, all the Chinese and Russian officers took their seats and watched a wide screen depicting the situation of the drill.

At 7:56, Lieutenant General Fan Changlong, the Chinese commander of the exercise,reported to Colonel-General Ge Zhenfeng, the Chinese director-general, that preparation for the second-phase drills had been completed. "Do as scheduled," Ge ordered.

Russian paratroopers walk out of a Il-76 transporter after arriving at Weifang Airport in East China's Shandong Peninsula Saturday morning, August 20, 2005. [Xinhua]

At 7:57, Colonel-General Vladimir Moltenskoi gave similar order to Admiral Viktor Fedorov for the proceeding of the war game.

Ge first gave orders on the courses, targets and tasks of the second-phase of the joint military maneuver. Zhang made a briefing on the strategic and campaign situation during the second phase and issued a time-table for the battles. Afterwards, the direction department issued orders to the joint headquarters via the commanding system.

The second-phase exercise is expected to last through August 22. By implementing the second-phase drills, the two sides will try to make decision for military actions in face of common threats. After strategic talks, the two sides deployed troops to "the battlefield" and conduct joint actions based on changes on "the battlefield".

During the third phase of the exercise, due to be held between August 23 and 25, the Chinese and Russian troops will make combat practice, which will cover offshore blockade, amphibious landing, and forcible separation.

A Russian A-50 early warning plane sits on the tarmac at a Qingdao airport, East China's Shandong Province, August 11, 2005. [Xinhua/file]

So far, the Chinese and Russian troops have completed preparations for joining in the third phase exercise as scheduled, according to the joint headquarters.

The "Peace Mission 2005" joint military drill kicked off in Vladivostok of Russia on August 18. On August 19, it moved to Qingdao.

The Russian troops, who arrived in the Shandong Peninsula and nearby seawater since August 9, include officers and soldiers from paratroops, marine corps, air forces and navy.

Russia's Il-76 transport plane, Il-78 refueling plane, A-50 early warning plane, Tu-95 MS and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers, Su-24M2 bomber, and Su-27SM fighter jet will join the combat practice, along with anti-sub vessel, destroyer, landing craft, rescue towboat, logistic support vessel, and parachuter combat car.

The Chinese troops, including ground forces, navy fleets, marine forces, air forces and paratroops, have already assembled in Shandong Peninsula and conducted one-side practice since mid-July.

The 8-day China-Russia joint military exercise involves nearly 10,000 troops from the two countries.

The joint drill aimed to improve the capabilities of the Chinese and Russian armies in dealing with crises and organizing coordinated actions in the backdrop of the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism.

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