China, Russia, and Mongolia will conduct joint military exercises in their border regions for the second consecutive year.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Defense and Yonhap News Agency, the three countries' border defense units are set to hold the 'Border Defense Cooperation-2026' joint exercise in early September.
The focus of this exercise is to prevent and respond to reconnaissance and sabotage activities that may occur in border areas. The three nations' forces will jointly plan operations and conduct training in search and strike, apprehension, and humanitarian assistance.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense stated that this exercise aims to strengthen strategic mutual trust among the three countries and expand cooperation in border defense. It also emphasized the importance of jointly maintaining safety and stability in border regions.
This joint exercise marks the second time for China, Russia, and Mongolia to collaborate in this manner. The three nations held a summit following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit and military parade in China last September, leading to the 'Border Defense Cooperation-2025' exercise on September 8-9. During that time, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed solidifying political trust and promoting the integration of border infrastructure and energy projects.
A key energy cooperation project among the three countries is the 'Power of Siberia-2' gas pipeline, which aims to supply Russian natural gas to China via Mongolia. If constructed, natural gas produced in Russia's Yamal Peninsula would be transported through Mongolia to China. However, it is reported that China and Russia have yet to reach a final agreement on the project's specific terms.
President Xi held separate meetings with the leaders of Russia and Mongolia on August 31 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where this year's SCO summit took place.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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