VIENTIANE, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The China-Laos "Peace Train-2026" joint humanitarian medical rescue exercise opened on Monday morning in the Lao capital Vientiane.

The national anthems of China and Laos were first played at the ceremony. Chandy Soulivongsak, director general of the General Logistics Department of the Lao People's Army, and Wu Dan, head of the Chinese command and coordination group, then delivered speeches and announced the official start of the joint exercise.

In his remarks, Chandy said that the Laos-China "Peace Train" joint exercise and medical service activities serve as a platform for enhancing the two militaries' capabilities in joint rescue and response to natural disasters, demonstrating the close and friendly relations between the two countries and militaries.

He expressed confidence that the joint exercise would further deepen medical support cooperation between the two militaries.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Wu said that the Chinese and Lao militaries have held this series of joint exercises six times since 2017. The return of the "Peace Train" medical team to Laos is not only a vivid practice of building an all-weather China-Laos community with a shared future in the new era, but also an important practice for deepening exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries in logistics and medical support.

The exercise will run until late September, with more than 700 personnel from both sides participating.

Set against the backdrop of international humanitarian medical rescue following a super typhoon disaster, the exercise features a three-tier command structure and a four-tier rescue system. Using medical trains, field medical treatment equipment and unmanned intelligent equipment, the two sides will organize mixed joint training, full-process joint rehearsals and live-force exercises.

The exercise aims to explore operational models for cross-border joint medical rescue and further enhance the medical support coordination and emergency response capabilities of the two militaries.

During the exercise, the two sides will also organize medical services and cultural exchange activities.