RF, China chiefs of general staffs to watch Peace Mission in China.

22/7 Tass 239

AIRFIELD WULANG HUOTUO (China), July 22 (Itar-Tass) -- After military
and political consultations in Khabarovsk Chief of the Russian Armed
Forces General Staff General Nikolai Makarov and his Chinese counterpart
Colonel General Chen Bingde arrived in China to watch the Russian-Chinese
anti-terrorist exercises Peace Mission-2009.

Nikolai Makarov and Chen Bingde will watch the practical actions of
the troops and the staffs of the united army group during the second stage
of the joint war games at Taonan firing range near the city of Baicheng in
north-eastern China on July 23, chief of the exercises from the Russian
side Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Troops Lieutenant General
Alexander Studenikin told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
The second Russian-Chinese joint exercises Peace Mission-2009 will be
held in three stages on July 22-27. The first stage is military and
political consultations of the chiefs of the General Staffs that were held
in Khabarovsk on Wednesday, the second and third stages - an
anti-terrorist operation and practical actions of the troops at the Taonan
firing range near Baicheng in north-eastern China on July 23-27. About
3,000 servicemen, more than 300 units of ground military hardware and over
40 airplanes and helicopters are involved in the exercises.
"For the first time during the current exercises the troops will act
with the full combat load. During the fourth joint training of Russian and
Chinese troops an airborne assault company of the Far Eastern military
district will land from helicopters gunships Mi-8 and parachute from
airplanes Il-76," General Studenikin said.
He also noted that the chief of the Russian General Staff will attend
to a report of officers of the Peace Mission command headquarters on the
readiness to an anti-terrorist operation, visit the field camp Taonan,
where Russian and Chinese soldiers and officers are stationed and will
examine social and household conditions of their service.
"On the same day, July 23, General Makarov will arrive in Beijing from
the area, where the war games are held, in order on July 24 to meet with
the supreme Chinese military authorities: Deputy Chairman of the Chinese
Central Military Council Colonel General Guo Boxiong, Defence Minister
Liang Guanglie and his counterpart Chen Bingde.
"During the meetings the top military officials intend to discuss
further strengthening of military cooperation between Russia and China and
their Armed Forces. This cooperation is an important part of strategic
partnership and cooperation between the countries," Studenikin said.
He noted, "The chiefs of the General Staffs actually continue the
talks on cooperation between the two armies in struggle with main existing
and possible challenges and threats to security for peace in the region.
They discussed this cooperation at the military and political
consultations in Khabarovsk during the joint exercises Peace Mission-2009
on July 22," the Russian general said.