Tanzanian, Mozambican Military Exercise with China Underway

A series of joint counter-terrorism exercises between the militaries of China, Tanzania, and Mozambique are underway at Mapinga Comprehensive Training Centre (CTC) in Tanzania. 'Peace Unity-2024' will focus on land and sea drills, and was opened officially on July 29th and is expected to run until August 11th..Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Sino-Tanzanian relations, the exercise aims to strengthen the capabilities of the participating nation's militaries as well as "foster closer ties with the Chinese People's Liberation Army," said Ameir Ramadhan Hassan, the Tanzanian Naval Commander..What You Need to Know.According to the Chinese military's offical publication, nine exercises will be held at sea, including port joint defense, boarding and seizure operations, visit board search and seizure, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy, joint maritime patrols and counter-terrorism tactics..Taking part in the sea exercises are personnel from the 45th naval escort force manning two Type 071 landing ships and a Type 052D guided missile destroyer, named the Wuzhishan, Qilianshan, and Hefei, respectively..Chinese ground forces consist of an information and communication regiment from the 82nd Group Army, with land drills set to end on the 5th, giving way to sea drills which are set to end on the 11th..Which forces are taking part on the Tanzanian and Mozambican ends has not yet been announced by the defense ministries of the respective nations..In addition to the Chinese naval squadron taking part in the drills is the use of the Y-20 strategic aircraft, which DefenceWeb has claimed is the first time the aircraft has been used to facilitate the movement of troops and equipment to East Africa..Land exercises will focus on at least four subjects, such as joint operational planning, joint infiltration and reconnaissance, covert raid, rescue and encirclement, as well as decapitation and arrest..'Peace Unity-2024' is the fourth Sino-Tanzanian exercise to occur since 2014, While China's 45th naval fleet docked in Mozambique in April on a 'goodwill visit.'.The exercises follow the docking of the Chinese hospital ship 'Peace Ark' in Tanzania on July 23rd. The ship provides free medical care to civilians and has thus far visited 46 nations. In 2017 Peace Ark visited Mozambique, providing free care for an estimated 1,796 citizens per day, according to Guan Bailin, the Task Group Commander at the time..So, What Now?.China has maintained warm relations with Tanzania and Mozambique throughout their histories, with China supporting Mozambique's liberation FRELIMO movement until it achieved independence from Portugal in 1975. Furthermore, Tanzania was the 10th nation in the African continent to recognize the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1964.