China and Singapore launched their first bilateral military drill yesterday.

Code-named Cooperation 2009, the counter-terrorism training exercise in Guilin, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, involved the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and focused on anti-nuclear, biological and chemical threats. Each army sent 61 troops to the nine-day training session.

"Countries are holding joint military drills as the world is faced with the threat of terrorism," said Zhang Xuegang, a Southeast Asian studies expert at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

"During the training exercise, soldiers from both sides had close exchanges and observed each other's equipment and skills in fighting against 'terrorists'. The Singaporean soldiers' professionalism and capabilities have impressed me a lot," said Senior Colonel Luo Mingcan, the Chinese chief director of the exercise.

Luo was known for his service in security operations during the Beijing Olympic Games last summer when the PLA deployed 179,000 personnel from its army, navy and air force around and near the capital.

The drill set the stage for future cooperation, said Brigadier General Chan Chun Sing, Chief of Staff – Joint Staff, SAF.

"This cooperation is a brand new platform, giving our soldiers opportunities for better understanding of their counterparts to contribute toward a better tomorrow," he said.

The risk of non-traditional security treats makes such cooperation more important, said Su Hao, director of China Foreign Affairs University's Center for Asia-Pacific Studies.

(China Daily June 25, 2009)