Thailand, China hold joint military exercise

CHON BURI, May 21 (TNA) -- China and Thailand on Saturday began their 20-day joint military training exercise called the ‘Blue Strike 2016’, aimed at strengthening military cooperation between the two countries. The opening ceremony was held at Royal Thai Marine Corps headquarters in Sattahip district in the eastern province of Chon Buri. Royal Thai Marine Corps's Marine Division commander Rear Admiral Sangkorn Pongsiri said in his capacity as director of ‘Blue Strike 2016’ that this third joint military training exercise is aimed at promoting friendship and cooperation between Chinese and Thai navies as well as boosting capabilities of personnel participating in this exercise. "Following the Blue Strike 2010 and Blue Strike 2012 joint training exercises, the Chinese naval troops once again came to Thailand to carry out joint training, aiming at further strengthening the friendly relations between the two countries and the two militaries, promoting in-depth exchange and cooperation between the two navies to jointly improve capacity of responding to non-traditional security threats and challenges," said Zeng Shenghai, commanding officer of the Chinese participating troops at the welcoming ceremony. Both sides will conduct a joint land military training exercise between May 29-June 7. Some 500 Thai marines and their 270 Chinese counterparts will participate in the ‘Blue Strike 2016’ joint military drill. (TNA)