China and Cambodia continue their largest-ever joint annual military drills dubbed “Golden Dragon”. The drills are aimed at boosting their armies’ capacity, and, according to official information, over 2,000 soldiers, three large Chinese warships and eleven Cambodian warships are participating in them.
The exercises have been held regularly since 2016. According to the Chinese Defense Ministry, this year's drills will be dedicated to “joint counter-terrorism operations and humanitarian relief.”
The People's Liberation Army press service expresses certainty that the drills are “conducive to further consolidating the iron-clad friendship between the two countries, enhancing the strategic coordination level between the two militaries, and jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability."
The commander-in-chief of the Royal Armed Forces of Cambodia, Army General Vong Pisen, expressed gratitude to the Chinese military for support in modernizing military facilities, including the Ream naval base.