Photo: China Military Online

The ongoing China-Mongolia "Steppe Partner-2024" joint army training initiative held its first comprehensive, full-process live-fire training on Friday in Dornogovi Province of Mongolia on Friday. 

Both Chinese and Mongolian participating troops conducted joint training to counter illegal armed groups, following basic tactics of precise strikes at key points, multi-directional attacks, and encircling, as they honed and enhanced their ability to coordinate in an environment similar to actual combat, the PLA Daily reported on Saturday. 

According to a news release published on China's Ministry of National Defense website, after the mock battle began, drones quickly took off to conduct reconnaissance over the target area, with real-time footage being transmitted back to the joint command post. After comprehensive information analysis, the Chinese commander issued orders, and the left and right wing assault teams launched attacks, with vehicle-mounted anti-tank missiles, armored assault guns, and others firing at the enemy, carrying out precise strikes.

Chinese and Mongolian troops then coordinated and advanced toward core areas from multiple directions. 

The joint training has deepened mutual understanding and knowledge of each other's  military hardware and tactics, providing a practical platform for exchanging tactics and training methods, and improving collaborative capabilities, said the commander from the Chinese side, adding that they focused on the precision of strikes, coordination, and the proficiency of tactics.

Commanders from both sides reviewed the joint training at the joint command center, summarizing existing challenges, formulating targeted strategies, and further refining and improving tactics, the PLA Daily reported.

The participating troops are also scheduled to conduct formal live-fire exercises, the PLA Daily said.

The China-Mongolia "Steppe Partner-2024" joint army training initiative kicked off on May 12 and will continue until late May, according to a previous report by the PLA Daily.

This is the first time the two armies have organized a battalion-level joint exercise, with the aim to further deepen strategic mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation between the two militaries and inject positive energy into regional peace and stability, the PLA Daily reported. 

The "Steppe Partner-2024" joint army exercise being held in Mongolia is an upgrade from the China-Mongolia border defense cooperation exercise held in China last year, marking a concrete step in the two countries' military cooperation, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Saturday.

China and Mongolia held the Border Defense Cooperation-2023 joint exercise in the border region in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on November 10, 2023 under the topic of stopping illegal criminal activities along the borders, in a move to improving the two countries' border defense troops' capabilities in jointly curbing cross-border smuggling and terrorist activities and safeguarding border peace and stability, the Chinese Defense Ministry said at the time.

China and Mongolia share an extended border, and their joint exercises on countering illegal armed groups, which are categorized as non-traditional security threats, are conducive to peace and stability in the region, the expert said.