By Ma Fei and Yin Bo
KUNMING, Feb. 24 -- Chinese troops participating in Cobra Gold-2020 joint military exercise left Kunming in southwest China by a transport aircraft of the PLA Air Force and arrived at U-Tapao Airport, Thailand on February 23.
The Cobra Gold-2020 joint military exercise will run from February 25 to March 6 in Thailand, involving more than 8,900 officers and soldiers from 29 countries as participants or observers. The exercise consists of joint military exercise and humanitarian civic assistance projects. During the exercise, high-level forums, drills on amphibious landing operation, rescue and disaster-relief, etc., as well as humanitarian engineering & construction aid, will be held.
China has sent 25 service members from the PLA 75th Group Army to the exercise. Before departure, they received professional reinforcement training, took epidemic prevention and control measures and made material preparations with a high standard. They also systematically learned the standard procedures regarding multinational forces operation.
The “Cobra Gold”, as an annual multilateral military exercise series, is one of the most influential joint military exercises in Southeast Asia. China dispatched troops to the exercise for the first time in 2014.