The Age of Global Military Co-operation: The International Military Games Commence

Image: International Army Games/Xinhua

The International Army Games commenced in the Korla, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in China on July 29, 2018. The Games were initiated to create a good platform to conduct global military exchanges and create bridges towards friendship and military co-operation.

Ten militaries from across the world, including China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan are taking part in the games. Major General Ye Jianjun made a statement on honouring the spirit of the games and the importance of co-operation at the opening ceremony and said that he hoped the People’s Liberation Army would successfully take part in the global military exchanges that had been planned.

The teams will be competing in three main contests –  the Suvorov Attack race and shooting competition, the Clear Sky test for air defence units, and Safe Route, a new contest held in China this year in which teams make their way through a minefield. A separate event hosted by the Navy will also be taking place at Quanzhou in the Fujian province.

The Russian Military was the first team to begin the games. Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had in fact sent in their congratulatory remarks and extended support to the People’s Liberation Army on their proposal to host the Games.

China is one of the seven countries that is hosting this year’s games. The event concludes on the 11th of August. All contestants in China, except Russia, are using Chinese equipment and weapons with each foreign participating team receiving support from experienced Chinese instructors. The response so far has been positive with participants from Iran and Pakistan praising the hospitality of the Chinese hosts and the capability of the Chinese Army.

Plans for next year’s games are going to be confirmed after further discussion and deliberation between Chinese and Russian military departments. In a welcoming letter at the Games’ opening ceremony, Putin showed optimism by highlighting the importance of international military co-operation.

Source: China Daily

*Rayan Bhattacharya is a Research Intern at The Kootneeti