Cambodia and China launched the fourth joint drill on counter-terrorism and humanitarian rescue at the Techo Sen Chumkiri live-fire field in Cambodia’s southwestern Kampot province on Sunday. The exercise dubbed “Dragon Gold 2020” will last till April 1. Gen. Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian presided over the opening ceremony of the drill. During the drill, the participants will carry on training programs such as operating anti-terror equipment, live-firing practice, demining, man hunting, as well as search and rescue.
The exercises being held in Cambodia’s southwestern Kampot province come at a time when the virus, officially known as COVID-19, has spread to 146 countries or territories killing at least 6,470 people. Some 164,837 have been tested positive for the infection that emerged in China last December. While Europe is now the “epicenter” of the global pandemic, according to the World Health Organization, China still has the largest number of confirmed cases — more than 81,000 — and over 3,218 deaths. Cambodia, meanwhile, has diagnosed only seven cases so far.
Dragon Golden is an important program in China-Cambodia military cooperation. The training this year, the fourth of its kind, is a concrete step to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries during their recent meeting in Beijing. It can help the two militaries strengthen strategic trust and cooperation in military training, and enhance their capabilities in dealing with global security threats including terrorism. Cambodia and China conducted the first joint drill in December 2016.
