China and Russia have conducted a joint military drill focused on cross-border terrorism, as concerns grow in Moscow over terror attacks.
The exercise was held in a river area near the Heilongjiang bridge – linking the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk with the Chinese city of Heihe – on June 25, the official PLA Daily reported on Tuesday.
It was the neighbouring countries’ first joint anti-terrorism exercise since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022.
The drill came just days after terror attacks in Russia’s southern Dagestan region on June 23, in which at least 22 people were killed in shootings at two synagogues, two Orthodox churches and a police post.
In March, more than 140 people were killed in an assault on a Moscow concert hall – the deadliest terror attack in Russia for almost two decades. Islamic State claimed responsibility, but Moscow has tried to link Ukraine to the attack – claims denied by Ukrainian officials.
Last week’s joint drill simulated “terrorists attempting to cross the border” to carry out attacks, the PLA Daily report said.
Chinese and Russian troops used air reconnaissance, maritime interception and ambushes on land to block and seize the terrorists during the exercise.
The focus was on boosting intelligence sharing and operational coordination and the exercise showed the “firm determination” of both militaries to take effective measures to combat all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism while jointly securing their border areas, according to the report.
It said the two sides also discussed further deepening border cooperation.
It is not the first time the two countries have held joint drills focused on countering terrorism. In 2019, China’s paramilitary People’s Armed Police Force took part in a drill with the Russian National Guard, held in Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed the two countries’ ongoing cooperation to fight terrorism, including through multilateral platforms, during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in April, according to Tass.
China has meanwhile stepped up its own campaign against terrorism and separatism, particularly in Xinjiang, though Beijing has said the far western region has not seen a terror attack since 2017. The authorities are accused of human rights abuses against Uygurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang over the security crackdown.
Last week’s joint drill follows an agreement between the Chinese and Russian leaders to strengthen cooperation on law enforcement and defence – including expanding joint training and exercises – when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Beijing in May.
The Chinese and Russian coastguards also signed a memorandum of understanding on maritime law enforcement cooperation in April last year.
China and Russia held a maritime exercise with Iran in March that focused on anti-piracy efforts. China and Russia also held joint naval and air drills in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, in July last year.