China, Nepal to Join Forces in Counter-Terrorism Training

Beijing, Aug 28 (PTI) — The militaries of China and Nepal are set to engage in a joint counter-terrorism training exercise in Nepal next month, as announced by China’s Defence Ministry on Thursday. This comes just days before Nepal's Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli is scheduled to visit China.

Starting in early September and running through mid-month, the exercises will include comprehensive counter-terrorism drills, disaster relief training, and peacekeeping operations. Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang shared these details during a press conference, highlighting the importance of the training sessions.

This marks the fifth instance of such a cooperative exercise between China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Nepal’s armed forces. Zhang stated that these efforts will bolster their shared counter-terrorism capabilities and reinforce the longstanding friendship and collaboration between the two military forces.

Prime Minister Oli is slated to arrive in China on Saturday for a five-day visit, where he will attend the SCO Plus Summit in Tianjin and a military parade in Beijing. The parade will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Nepal collaborates with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a dialogue partner. The SCO includes 10 members: Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and China, with China serving as this year's rotating chair.

During his visit, Oli will have the opportunity to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and address the SCO Plus Summit on September 1, as confirmed by Nepal’s Foreign Ministry. Further, Oli will witness the military parade on September 3, celebrating the victory against Japanese aggression during World War II.

China’s decision to invite foreign leaders to the event has led to a diplomatic disagreement with Japan. Japan has urged world leaders to refrain from attending, suggesting the event carries anti-Japanese implications. China, in response, has lodged a diplomatic protest concerning Japan’s remarks.

Aside from Oli, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu are expected to attend the parade.

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