Question: It was reported that the Chinese and Cambodian militaries recently held "Peace Angel 2023" joint military medical service exercise, with more than 700 participants. Please brief us on the highlights of this exercise and the exchanges between the two militaries.
Wu Qian: The Chinese and Cambodian militaries held the "Peace Angel 2023" joint military medical service exercise from September 14th to 26th. This exercise is a signature program of bilateral military cooperation which further consolidated the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia. There are three features about the exercise.
First, this exercise deepened practical cooperation between the Chinese and Cambodian militaries on medical service. Under the theme of "joint international humanitarian medical rescue for severe floods and hurricanes", medical service troops of both sides jointly organized medical rescue operations including on-site emergency response, transfer treatment, and aeromedical evacuation. Such activities strengthened the interoperability and emergency response capabilities of medical service troops of the two militaries in military operations other than war (MOOTW).
Second, this exercise improved joint rescue capabilities of the two medical service troops. Participants were mixed and integrated in teams and both sides explored an efficient mode of rescue featuring "joint command, mixed teams, and integrated operations". Such practice provided useful experience for conducting international humanitarian medical rescue missions.
Third, this exercise innovated methods and approaches of joint professional exercises. This exercise marked the first time for the PLA to send its Y-9 medical rescue aircraft and its aeromedical evacuation forces outside China for live exercises and training. The Chinese side also employed multiple types of advanced equipment and devices including drones, and its medical team provided medical service for nearly 2000 Cambodian service members and civilians, which was widely applauded by people of all walks of life in Cambodia.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of China-Cambodia diplomatic relations and the "China-Cambodia Friendship Year". The Chinese military stands ready to work with the Cambodian side to follow the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, maintain high-level interactions between the two militaries, expand exchanges between relevant departments and between arms and services of the two militaries, deepen practical cooperation in areas including education and training, joint exercises, medical service, and demining, and strengthen coordination on multilateral occasions, so as to jointly safeguard our common interests and maintain regional peace and stability.
9月28日下午，国防部举行例行记者会，国防部新闻局局长、国防部新闻发言人吴谦大校答记者问。
记者：据报道，中柬两军近期举行了“和平天使-2023”卫勤联合演习，双方派出700余人参演。请发言人进一步介绍此次演习特点以及中柬两军交往情况。
吴谦：9月14日至26日，中柬两军举行了“和平天使-2023”卫勤联合演习。此次演习打造了双边军事合作品牌，进一步巩固了中柬传统友谊。主要有3个特点：一是深化两军医疗卫生领域务实合作。双方卫勤力量围绕“严重洪涝飓风灾害国际人道主义联合医学救援”主题，共同组织现场应急处置、伤病员中转救治和空运医疗后送等医学救援行动，强化两军非战争军事行动卫勤力量协同和应急处置能力。二是提升双方卫勤联合救援能力。双方卫勤力量深度编组融合，探索形成了“联合指挥、混合编组、一体行动”的高效救援模式，为共同遂行国际人道主义医学救援任务提供有益借鉴。三是创新专业领域中外联演方法手段。此次演习首次派出我军运-9医疗救护飞机赴境外实演实训，首次派遣我军空运医疗救护力量出境参演，注重无人机等多型先进装备器材使用，同时组织医疗队为近2000名柬军民开展医疗服务活动，受到柬社会各界广泛赞誉。
今年正值中柬建交65周年和“中柬友好年”。中国军队愿与柬方一道，在两国领导人战略指引下，保持两军高层交往，拓展两军有关业务部门、军兵种间交流，深化在教育训练、联演联训、医疗卫勤、扫雷等领域务实合作，加强多边协调配合，携手捍卫共同利益，维护地区和平稳定。