By Meng Fanyang and Zhao Wenhuan
KUNMIN, Sep. 8 – The Chinese task force set off by air on September 6 to participate in the “Pure Homeland-2023” multinational joint demining operation in Cambodia.
"Pure Homeland-2023" is an operation arranged according to the consensus reached by the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts' Working Group (EWG) on Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA), and co-hosted by China and Cambodia as co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus EWG on HMA.
Chinese troops participating in the operation were chosen mainly from a brigade under the PLA 75th Group Army, consisting of demining team and explosive ordnance disposal team.
This multinational joint demining operation mainly covers three tasks, namely, joint field mine-clearing, joint instructions on mine-clearing and explosive disposal, and a workshop in the joint command, which will be conducted simultaneously in the Royal Cambodian Army multinational peacekeeping force training school and the minefield surrounding it.
According to the head of the task force, 60% of the Chinese participating troops have rich experience in peacekeeping or border mine-clearing operations to ensure the success of this operation.
It is learned that the major event this year aims at enhancing bilateral and multilateral joint mine-clearing collaboration capabilities, strengthening non-traditional security cooperation among member states and institutions, further resolving regional mine problems, and make positive contributions to the security and well-being of people in the region.