URUMQI, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- China wrapped up the second phase of its joint anti-terror drill with western neighbor Kazakhstan on Saturday in Yining, in western China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The Yining exercise, which began at 9:30 a.m., was a 5-part simulation of a battle in which Chinese guards gradually force terrorists into a narrow valley and cliff caves. It lasted two hours and ten minutes, with groups of mock terrorists being eliminated by police forces consisting of artillery, police dogs, cavalry, special services and other troops.
Chinese troops taking part in the "Tianshan-I (2006)" exercise in Yining were mainly border police and anti-terror special forces. Around 100 observers from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states - China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - were in Yining to evaluate the drill.
China's police authority said the exercise was held to demonstrate the SCO's progress in combating terrorists in the region, namely the "three evil forces" of terrorists, splittists and extremists.
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According to China's Ministry of Public Security, the exercise was a concrete demonstration of the consensus on enhancing security cooperation reached by SCO member states at the SCO summit in June, and a means to improve coordination between law enforcement departments and special services.
"The exercise will help establish SCO's active role in maintaining regional security and stability," said Meng Hongwei, China's vice minister of public security and commander of the Chinese troops for the drill. "The SCO should provide more opportunities to cooperate," said Meng, adding that the fight against terrorism was a tough, long-term task.