"Peace Mission-2014," an anti-terrorism drill under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) framework, will run from Aug 24-29, 2014. This drill aims at improving member countries' capacity to strike against the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and at boosting the militaries' coordinated ability to fight against non-traditional security threats, including terrorism. The joint drill is not targetted against any individual country.

Some western media have described this drill as "a Central Asian grouping that is dominated by China and Russia, aiming to challenge U.S. influence in Asia as well as the international order ruled by U.S. and its European allies".

Any reasonable analysis of this drill will expose the fact that these doubts and criticisms stand on shaky foundations.

First of all, the SCO fixed the schedule of this drill long before tensions grew between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

Secondly, the drill is intended to hone capacity to deter the "three evil forces". Member countries are under the threat of increasingly severe territorial attacks. This military drill will promote anti-terrorism cooperation between member countries and advance their ability to combat terrorism. This is an action to maintain regional justice and peace.

Thirdly, the drill is targeted at how to strike "the three evil forces" accurately, effectively and rapidly. It includes preparation, implementation, and combining formal and informal measures. It does not target any country and has nothing to do with capturing "disputed islands".

Finally, in contrast to multilateral or bilateral drills conducted by some other countries, including Japan, this multinational drill will be accessible to the public. China and Russia have released the schedule, location, and military deployments of the drill. Furthermore, organizers will invite the SCO secretariat and regional anti-terrorism agencies, along with six observer nations including Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia and India, and three dialogue partners including Sri Lanka, Byelorussia and Turkey, to review the drill. Military attachés to China from more than 60 countries are also listed on the invitation.

In terms of its scale and frequency, this series of exercises cannot be compared with those between the U.S. and Japan. The American military are planning to host hundreds of drills in the Asia-Pacific. It is the intentions of the U.S. and Japan that should be subject to scrutiny.

The article is edited and translated from《别把反恐与挑战美国扯一起（望海楼）》, source: People's Daily Overseas Edition, author: Zhang Junshe, a researcher from China Naval Research Institute