On 17 April, the Southern Theater announced that in accordance with the Southern Theater's annual training plan, the Army and Air Force units will be organized to hold an air defense live-fire exercise on our side of the Sino-Burmese border starting today.
Compared with the military exercise organized by the Southern Theater on 2 April, which was aimed at testing the combat capabilities of the theater's troops in terms of rapid mobility, precise paralysis, three-dimensional blockade and control, and joint strikes, there are obvious differences between the two military exercises. The exercise focused on reconnaissance and early warning and warning and dispersal, highlighting the ability to respond to various emergencies with air defense strikes, while the previous exercise emphasized joint strikes and other operations, but both exercises covered three-dimensional closure and control. The implication is that the army and air force work together to directly and accurately paralyze the opponent in a counterattack.
The announcement of this military exercise was very sudden, but the Southern Theater held two live-fire exercises on our side of the China-Myanmar border in just half a month, which shows that it is closely related to the turmoil in Myanmar. In the course of the previous exercise, the Southern Theater dispatched armored infantry, artillery, air defense, and army and air force aviation units to enter the exercise area as soon as possible, and carried out joint live-fire exercises in different divisions and at different times and locations.
In the initial stage of the exercise, the ground and air forces conducted joint reconnaissance and early warning, joint air defense control, and joint firepower strikes. In the course of the strike, a batch and multi-directional fire precision joint strike is carried out on temporary targets. Therefore, compared with the previous exercise, this exercise is likely to be a test of the unit's air-ground joint operations.
The two military exercises held in the Southern Theater are clearly related to the domestic situation in Myanmar. Recently, there has been a lot of civil conflict in Myanmar. After several days of clashes, Burmese government forces have withdrawn from the border town of Myawaddy, a major blow to the beleaguered Burmese army, which has suffered heavy losses in months of conflict, plus Myawaddy is important for cash-strapped government forces.
The traditional Songkran festival in the northern Shan State town of Namkhan exploded violently during the event, causing no casualties but adding uncertainty to the local situation. The armed conflict between the Burmese government army and the local government has aggravated the situation in Myanmar, coupled with the defeat of the junta on the front line, and the government army has voluntarily surrendered.
It is difficult for the Burmese army to control the situation, and the fighting with local forces is likely to spread to the border areas of China and Burma, causing casualties on the mainland. Under such circumstances, it is not difficult to understand that the Southern Theater held a live-fire exercise on our side of the China-Myanmar border as a deterrent and warned the local armed forces in Myanmar not to introduce the flames of war into the China-Myanmar border.
In the announcement issued by the Southern Theater of Operations, it was clearly pointed out that the three-dimensional closure and control, warning and driving away, this kind of actual combat drill contains a warning flavor, has a strong pertinence, and the target is the local armed forces in Myanmar, and corresponding preparations are also being made in advance. Just as the Southern Theater said, the live-fire exercise in the Southern Theater highlighted the need to safeguard national sovereignty, border stability, and the safety of people's lives and property.
As soon as the war approaches the Sino-Burmese border, the southern theater can be put into combat readiness immediately. Therefore, the two live-fire exercises held on the China-Myanmar border in the Southern Theater were on the one hand to prevent Burmese government warplanes and stray missiles from crossing the border, and on the other hand, to deter local armed forces in Myanmar. With regard to the situation in Myanmar, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of our country clearly pointed out that it is hoped that all parties in Myanmar will cease fire and stop fighting as soon as possible, resolve differences peacefully through dialogue and consultation, and avoid escalation.