Troops from the Armed Forces of China, Russia, and Mongolia are carrying out the Border Defense Cooperation 2025 exercise, marking the first time the three countries have organized a deployment of their forces in a tripartite border region. Consolidated by a close relationship among the three nations, the military maneuvers are taking place near the city of Manzhouli and aim to strengthen coordination, improve the ability to counter threats to border security, demonstrate cooperation, and deepen ties.
According to information released by the Media Center of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the military forces established a joint command post on Chinese territory where tasks and missions were conducted ranging from coordination to attack planning, testing a new model of border defense cooperation.
In addition, the activities focused on issues related to counterterrorism, a modern and increasingly pressing threat affecting the three countries and their borders. Both China and Russia have extensive experience in combating terrorism, a capability that has been consolidated over time through various exercises specifically designed to address this threat. Under these premises, Mongolia is participating in these joint activities to improve its counterterrorism response capacity while also ensuring effective coordination between its military and security forces.
Regarding the military assets involved in the exercises, a video published by China Bugle on the Weibo platform shows the presence of wheeled armored vehicles, but above all unmanned systems, among others, considering that such technology is accessible to terrorist organizations. However, their use also goes hand in hand with the advantages that advanced technology provides for border patrol and control, saving personnel and material resources, streamlining manpower, and allowing troops to focus on other tasks while ensuring greater safety margins.
Finally, it is important to note that these maneuvers took place shortly after a trilateral meeting between the leaders of China, Russia, and Mongolia in Beijing on September 2, during the CSTO summit. On that occasion, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to consolidate political trust, strengthen strategic coordination, and deepen cooperation among the three countries.
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