On October 8, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said that the country will join Malaysia in a joint exercise in October in Malaysia and neighboring waters, focusing on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and maritime security.
The forces left the military ports of Zhejiang, Tainan and Hong Kong (China) to go to Malaysia, where the exercise took place from October 15 to 23.
This is the sixth time the two countries have organized such a joint training activity. More than 1,000 soldiers will attend, of which the Chinese side will contribute more than 700 people along with many equipment such as warships, helicopters and unmanned systems.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense said the exercise was attended by observers from other ASEAN member states, with the aim of enhancing substantive cooperation between the Chinese military and Southeast Asian countries, as well as enhancing response capacity to non-traditional security threats. This agency emphasizes activities to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
Previously, in 2023, China held a similar drill with the participation of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Malaysia is also preparing for the upcoming ASEAN Summit, where bloc leaders are expected to discuss the progress of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea. The country will also host the ASEAN Defense Ministers' and partners' meeting from 30 October to 2 November.
