China, Malaysia set to hold joint military drill in October

8/10/2025 18:00

China and Malaysia will hold a joint military exercise this month in the Southeast Asian nation and nearby waters, focused on measures such as disaster relief and combating piracy.



The regular drills are part of Beijing's efforts to build closer defence cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, despite tension in the region over contested areas in the busy waterway of the 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.

More than 1,000 personnel from both sides, including over 700 of them from China, will participate, along with equipment from vessels and helicopters to unmanned systems..



The sixth exercise of its kind will focus on "humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and maritime security," with observers from other members of the ASEAN grouping invited.



It aimed to deepen practical cooperation between the Chinese and Southeast Asian militaries, boost their capability to jointly tackle non-traditional security threats, and maintain regional peace and stability.