China and Singapore are conducting a joint anti-terrorism training exercise in Guilin in the southwest Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, military sources said Thursday.

The drill, "Cooperation-2009", involves 61 soldiers and officers of the People's Liberation Army and 61 of their Singapore counterparts, Huang Xueping, spokesman with the Ministry of National Defense, told Xinhua.

The exercise started Thursday and will conclude June 26.

The exercise will conduct simulations of an attempt by international terrorists to attack an expo using radioactive contaminants, biological and chemical weapons.

The task forces will conduct joint training and seminars to improve their ability to detect and handle those threats, the spokesman said.

The joint training exercises were arranged by defense authorities of the two countries, and they represent the PLA's first joint operation with foreign forces in security maintenance, Huang said.

The exercise would improve the forces' ability to deal with multiple security threats and help maintain peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region, he said.

China's military took part in security operations during the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games last summer. The PLA deployed some 179,000 personnel from its army, navy and air force around and near the capital.

(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2009)