China and Malaysia will hold a joint military exercise this month in the Southeast Asian nation and nearby waters, focusing on disaster relief and combating piracy, the Chinese defence ministry and an affiliated media outlet said.
The regular drills are part of Beijing’s efforts to build closer defence cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, despite ongoing tensions in the region over disputed areas in the busy South China Sea.
Participating forces set out on Wednesday from China’s military ports in Zhanjiang, Sanya, and Hong Kong for the exercise scheduled from October 15 to 23, according to the China Military Bugle, an outlet affiliated with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
More than 1,000 personnel from both sides — including over 700 from China — will take part, along with vessels, helicopters, and unmanned systems, the outlet said.
The sixth exercise of its kind will focus on “humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and maritime security,” with observers from other ASEAN member states invited, the Chinese defence ministry said earlier on Wednesday.
The drills aim to deepen practical cooperation between Chinese and Southeast Asian militaries, strengthen their capability to jointly tackle non-traditional security threats, and maintain regional peace and stability, the ministry added.
Malaysia’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In 2023, China hosted the fifth such exercise, which included participation from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, despite overlapping claims by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Malaysia is preparing to host the annual ASEAN summit this month, where leaders are expected to discuss progress on a code of conduct for the South China Sea. The country will also host a meeting of ASEAN defence ministers and regional counterparts from October 30 to November 2.
(Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
