By Ren Xu, Zhang Dongpan and Liu Dan
A train loaded with weapons and equipment departs from the port of Erenhot in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on May 6, 2024.
BEIJING, May 7 -- The first batch of the Chinese participating troops departed from the port of Erenhot in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 11:18 am on May 6 and headed for an area in Dornogovi Province of Mongolia to participate in the China-Mongolia "Steppe Partner-2024" joint army training.
The departure of the train marks the start of the first stage of the joint training, i.e. force projection and buildup. The Chinese participating troops are grouped into three echelons and being transported in batches by rail.
The Chinese participating troops are chosen mainly from the armored forces of a brigade under the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) 79th Group Army, encompassing fire assault, operational support, logistic support and various other specialized elements.
It is learned that the Chinese side sent battalion-sized troops with various types of weapons and wheeled equipment to participate in the "Steppe Partner-2024", which is the first-ever joint training between the armies of the two countries. With a focus on how to deal with the activities of illegal armed groups, the joint training aims to further deepen the strategic mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation between the two militaries, and inject positive energy into regional peace and stability.