China, Australia, US to begin trilateral military exercise

China, Australia and the United States will conduct a trilateral military exercise in Australia on Thursday.

Exercise Kowari will run in Darwin, Australia, until September 14, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a monthly press briefing.

This is the second defense exercise between the three armies. The inaugural one was held in October.

Chinese and Australian troops will also hold bilateral defense exercise Exercise Panda-Kangaroo in Canberra and Sydney, Australia, from September 20 to 28, Yang said.

"Both exercises are aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and friendship, deepening defense cooperation and strengthening the armies' operational abilities," he said.

According to Yang, both exercises focus on field survival training. Exercise Kowari includes predation and making fire in the wild, positioning in the jungle and building shelters, while Exercise Panda-Kangaroo includes canoeing, cavern survival and mountain climbing.

A fourteen-member team from the Guangzhou Military Area Command of the People's Liberation Army set off for the exercises in Australia on Wednesday.

Source: XINHUA