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Russia willing to fight terrorists with China: General

By Li Xiaokun and Hou Lei (Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-22 13:15

KHABAROVSK, Russia: Russia is willing to cooperate with China to respond to all kinds of threats, including terrorist forces using Islam as a cover, a senior Russian military officer said on Wednesday, at the start of a joint anti-terrorism military training exercise here.

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“Terrorist groups are using various measures and they make use of Islamic slogans to carry out terrorist attacks...The latest incident shows that more and more separatist, extremist, and terrorist forces are emerging," Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, said, referring to recent riots in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. 

He kicked off the joint exercise with Chen Bingde, chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. 

"Holding this joint military exercise has become a tradition of our two countries and is the most significant action of our militaries to cope with this regional threat," Makarov said. 

Up to 1,300 army and air force personnel from each side will participate in the drill, which is scheduled to run until July 26 in Khabarovsk and at the PLA's Taonan tactical training base, in northeast China’s Jilin province, Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday.