NepalChina joint military drill begins

KATHMANDU: The first ever Nepal-China joint military drill began on Sunday at Nepal Army’s Para Training School Maharajgunj in Kathmandu .

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s squad is participating ‘Sagarmatha Friendship2017’, which will focus on counter-terrorism and disaster response. The 10-day exercise will conclude on April 25.

Gen Binod Kumar Shrestha, Nepal Army’s director general of military operations, inaugurated the joint exercise.

Though Nepal and China were planning a large-scale military exercise, the strong opposition from India, given its special diplomatic and military ties with Nepal forced Kathmandu to limit the scope of the exercise, sources said. “We hope such joint military exercise would help Nepal and Chinese Armies to boost their professional capabilities,” the Nepal Army said.

While highlighting the historic ties between Nepal and Chinese armies, Colonel Yang Shumeng who is leading the Chinese PLA in the exercise, said such exercise would help understanding on counter-terrorism and strengthen military-to-military relations.

The joint training with China marks Nepali Army’s extension of military diplomacy. It has in the past conducted similar drills with Indian and US armies.

The army said the drill is a step towards preparing for possible terror threats. HTC