Armoured vehicles are in action during a military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25, 2004. Some 60 foreign military leaders, observers and officers from 16 countries, including Brunei, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, observed the exercise, which was code-named "Iron Fist-2004". The exercise was carried out by a reinforced mechanized infantry division in mountains in the training base of the Jinan Military Area Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). (Xinhua photo)

Gun smoke billows out at the site where a military exercise with live ammunition is held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25.(Xinhua photo)

Backgrounder: PLA-related military exercises since 2002

    ZHENGZHOU, Sept. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese military launched an exercise with live ammunition code-named "Iron Fist-2004," in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China, Saturday morning.

    The exercise was carried out by a reinforced mechanized infantry division in mountains in the training base of the Jinan Military Area Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

    Some 60 foreign military leaders, observers and officers from 16 countries observed the exercise, including Brunei, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

    It is the first time for the PLA to invite so many high-ranking foreign military officers to observe a military exercise, which is also the largest-scale military exercise opened to foreign observers, said a Chinese officer in charge of the maneuvers. Enditem

The picture shows a distant view of the gun smoke billowing out when a military exercise with live ammunition is held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25.(Xinhua photo)

An armoured vehicle fires during a military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25. (Xinhua photo)

A helicopter carries out rescue operation during a military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25. (Xinhua photo)

Chinese military leaders and foreign military leaders and observers evaluate the military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25, 2004.(Xinhua photo)

An armoured vehicle is in action.	A mine sweeping vehicle is in action.
Military vehicles run to the site to take part in a military exercise.	Tanks are in action during a military exercise.

A foreign military observer watches a Chinese military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25. (Xinhua photo)

An Indian military officer observes Chinese military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25. (Xinhua photo)

An Indian division commander gives a thumb-up to a Chinese soldier after viewing a Chinese military exercise with live ammunition held in the Queshan Training Base in Henan Province, central China Sept. 25. (Xinhua photo)

Some 60 foreign military observers invited to military exercise

    ZHENGZHOU, Sept. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Some 60 military leaders and observers from 16 countries observed a military exercise launched by the Chinese armed forces in central China Saturday morning.

    The exercise, code-named "Iron Fist-2004" and with live ammunition, was carried out by a reinforced mechanized infantry division in the Queshan Training Base of the Jinan Military Area Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Henan Province.

    The foreign military leaders and observers are from Brunei, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The ranking officers include commander of the Brunei armed forces, chiefs of the general staff of the Philippines and Tajikistan, and the chief of staff of the Bangladesh army.

    It is the first time the PLA invited so many foreign military officers in so high rankings to observe a Chinese military exercise. It is also the largest-scale military exercise open to foreign observers.

    The exercise reflects China's diplomatic policy of "treating neighbors as friends and partners," and the new security concept of peaceful coexistence, mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, according to military sources.

    It not only embodies the Chinese military's sincere hope to develop friendly cooperative relations with the military of neighboring countries, but also creates a chance for Chinese and foreign officers to learn from each other, the sources said.

    The exercise, which involves some PLA 10,000 officers and soldiers, is of positive significance to promoting regional security cooperation. Enditem