BEIJING, Sept. 17 (ChinaMil) -- China and Malaysia will conduct the "Peace and Friendship-2015" joint military exercise, the first of its kind between the two countries, in the Strait of Malacca and its surrounding waters from September 17 to September 22, 2015, according to the annual exchange program between the militaries of China and Malaysia.

　　The theme of this exercise is "to jointly perform the Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW)", and the subjects include joint escort, joint rescue, saving hijacked vessels jointly, actual use of real weapons, humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

　　The purpose of this exercise is to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Malaysia, strengthen military-to-military defense exchanges and cooperation, and increase the capability to jointly respond to real security threats and safeguard regional maritime security.

　　Military expert Li Jie said in an interview that the triphibian cooperation is of strong practical significance in such fields as anti-piracy and humanitarian aid, and is also a kind of trend in the future joint military exercises. This shows that the cooperation between both sides is not limited to maritime cooperation.

　　China and Malaysia have increased military cooperation in recent years. A Naval military expert Zhang Junshe pointed out that the joint military exercise this time shows that both sides' common aspiration to strengthen bilateral and military-to-military cooperation and helps enhance strategic mutual trust.

　　China and Malaysia held the first defense and security consultation as early as September 2012. China and Malaysia also conducted a joint military exercise codenamed "Peace and Friendship-2014" in December 2014, the first of its kind in the history of the two countries, but was only a table top exercise.

　　Both sides conducted the map exercise on such subjects as joint escort, joint rescue, saving hijacked vessels jointly, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and exchanged the mechanism and experience concerning the military’s involvement in humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

　　The upcoming joint military exercise this time, in particular, is a historical breakthrough in the bilateral military relations. It is not only the first realistic joint exercise between China and Malaysia, but also the largest bilateral joint military exercise between China and an ASEAN country.

　　Military expert Song Xiaojun said that joint exercises in the field of non-traditional security issues will become a normal in the ASEAN region in the future.

　　Malaysia needs to cooperate with China in an all-round way to maintain regional security through military exercises, ultimately maintain trade relations, and thus resolve its core domestic issues such as employment and economy.

　　This exercise chooses the Strait of Malacca as the exercise location, which has attracted equal attention.

　　It is known to all that with its strategic value, the Strait of Malacca is an important watercourse that both the U.S. and Japan want to control. Some countries speculate whether China has other attempts this time.

　　Liang Yang, spokesperson for the PLA Navy, said that this exercise does not target any third party, nor does it pertain to the regional situation.

　　In the eyes of Teng Jianqun, researcher with China Institute of International Studies, this exercise manifests China's determination and confidence of maintaining stability in the South China Sea.

　　Li Jie said that previously the U.S. had been emphasizing the fact that the water channels in the South China Sea are unsafe, and therefore China cooperates with the surrounding countries in such aspects as anti-terrorism and rescue in order to better maintain regional peace and seaway safety and better shoulder its responsibilities as a great power.

　　BEIJING, Sept. 17 (ChinaMil) -- China and Malaysia will conduct the "Peace and Friendship-2015" joint military exercise, the first of its kind between the two countries, in the Strait of Malacca and its surrounding waters from September 17 to September 22, 2015, according to the annual exchange program between the militaries of China and Malaysia.

　　The theme of this exercise is "to jointly perform the Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW)", and the subjects include joint escort, joint rescue, saving hijacked vessels jointly, actual use of real weapons, humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

　　The purpose of this exercise is to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Malaysia, strengthen military-to-military defense exchanges and cooperation, and increase the capability to jointly respond to real security threats and safeguard regional maritime security.

　　Military expert Li Jie said in an interview that the triphibian cooperation is of strong practical significance in such fields as anti-piracy and humanitarian aid, and is also a kind of trend in the future joint military exercises. This shows that the cooperation between both sides is not limited to maritime cooperation.

　　China and Malaysia have increased military cooperation in recent years. A Naval military expert Zhang Junshe pointed out that the joint military exercise this time shows that both sides' common aspiration to strengthen bilateral and military-to-military cooperation and helps enhance strategic mutual trust.

　　China and Malaysia held the first defense and security consultation as early as September 2012. China and Malaysia also conducted a joint military exercise codenamed "Peace and Friendship-2014" in December 2014, the first of its kind in the history of the two countries, but was only a table top exercise.

　　Both sides conducted the map exercise on such subjects as joint escort, joint rescue, saving hijacked vessels jointly, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and exchanged the mechanism and experience concerning the military’s involvement in humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

　　The upcoming joint military exercise this time, in particular, is a historical breakthrough in the bilateral military relations. It is not only the first realistic joint exercise between China and Malaysia, but also the largest bilateral joint military exercise between China and an ASEAN country.

　　Military expert Song Xiaojun said that joint exercises in the field of non-traditional security issues will become a normal in the ASEAN region in the future.

　　Malaysia needs to cooperate with China in an all-round way to maintain regional security through military exercises, ultimately maintain trade relations, and thus resolve its core domestic issues such as employment and economy.

　　This exercise chooses the Strait of Malacca as the exercise location, which has attracted equal attention.

　　It is known to all that with its strategic value, the Strait of Malacca is an important watercourse that both the U.S. and Japan want to control. Some countries speculate whether China has other attempts this time.

　　Liang Yang, spokesperson for the PLA Navy, said that this exercise does not target any third party, nor does it pertain to the regional situation.

　　In the eyes of Teng Jianqun, researcher with China Institute of International Studies, this exercise manifests China's determination and confidence of maintaining stability in the South China Sea.

　　Li Jie said that previously the U.S. had been emphasizing the fact that the water channels in the South China Sea are unsafe, and therefore China cooperates with the surrounding countries in such aspects as anti-terrorism and rescue in order to better maintain regional peace and seaway safety and better shoulder its responsibilities as a great power.