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The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

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Mai, Thail<strong>and</strong>. “Strike-2008” was a week longer <strong>and</strong><br />

involved about twice as many personnel (34) from the<br />

Guangzhou MR SOF Group than the 2007 exercise.<br />

Once more, the two sides formed mixed units <strong>and</strong><br />

engaged in multiphase training consisting of basic<br />

training, skills training, comb<strong>at</strong> tactics training, <strong>and</strong> a<br />

comprehensive exercise. 47<br />

Likewise, “H<strong>and</strong>-in-H<strong>and</strong>-2008” was executed a<br />

year after its predecessor, with an infantry company<br />

(137 personnel) from the 14th Group <strong>Army</strong> travelling<br />

to Belgaum, India (via two <strong>PLA</strong>AF aircraft) for about<br />

a week. Again, the Chinese <strong>and</strong> Indian units formed<br />

mixed companies comm<strong>and</strong>ed by their respective b<strong>at</strong>talion<br />

headquarters. 48 <strong>The</strong> exercise consisted of three<br />

phases: equipment display with technical <strong>and</strong> tactical<br />

exchanges; joint training; <strong>and</strong> a comprehensive<br />

anti-terrorist exercise, which included a heliborne<br />

assault using Indian helicopters. 49 <strong>The</strong> <strong>PLA</strong> b<strong>at</strong>talion<br />

comm<strong>and</strong>er expressed surprise th<strong>at</strong> “the Indian side<br />

did not prepare slogans <strong>and</strong> banners to welcome the<br />

Chinese side”; nonetheless, he felt “the Indian <strong>Army</strong><br />

looked upon our arrival with gre<strong>at</strong> importance. Not<br />

only did the Indian side have everyday living needs<br />

ready for us, such as mosquito nets, bedsheets, <strong>and</strong><br />

m<strong>at</strong>tresses, they are even providing us with network<br />

access free of charge!” 50 <strong>The</strong> Chinese participants appeared<br />

also to appreci<strong>at</strong>e the military professionalism<br />

displayed by their Indian hosts:<br />

<strong>The</strong> Indian <strong>Army</strong> has also embodied high efficiency in<br />

training <strong>and</strong> administr<strong>at</strong>ion. An example of th<strong>at</strong> could<br />

be seen in a training coordin<strong>at</strong>ion meeting which took<br />

place last night. When explaining plans <strong>and</strong> arrangements<br />

for training in the coming days, the inform<strong>at</strong>ion<br />

presented was brief yet clear, <strong>and</strong> the multimedia<br />

courseware we were shown was concise <strong>and</strong> all-encompassing.<br />

51<br />

397

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