Chinese, German militaries begin medical training exercise
A joint medical training exercise between the Chinese and German armies commenced on Thursday in Southwest China’s Chongqing municipality.
It is the first time the Chinese military has conducted such drills with a European counterpart, and the first time that a foreign army has been invited to carry out a joint medical training exercise in China.
The exercise will focus on humanitarian aid and rescue following an earthquake.
The hypothetical scenario involves China and Germany sending rescue teams to a third country following a magnitude-7.0 earthquake, with the two forces working together on medical relief and disease control.
In 2014, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Germany and the two sides agreed to upgrade their relationship to an all-round strategic partnership.
“Our goal is to enhance the friendship between the two armies as well as to lift the level of our cooperation and communication through the drills, especially in medical services involving humanitarian aid and rescue,” said Xu Qingeng, China’s executive director of the combined exercise.
China will provide a tent hospital, field ambulances, field epidemic prevention vehicles, long-distance medical consultation packages and transport helicopters.
Germany will provide an “R1” hospital, which is often used on the front line in conflicts, and showcase advanced equipment such as armored ambulance vehicles.
Captain Dirk Mollemann, commander of the Rapid Medical Response Regiment of Bundeswehr Medical Service and executive director of the exercise, said he was confident that the drill will be a success.
“The biggest challenge will be bringing our operating procedures together amid differences in language and culture,” he told China Daily.
“But we are all soldiers, we are all experts in the medical field and we share a common understanding, which will make it much easier,” he said, adding that the soldiers got to know each other better through some cultural activities.