PLA continues Peace Unity-2024 exercises in Africa

The Qilianshan, a Type 071 comprehensive landing ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, arrives in waters off Mozambique on August 2, 2024 ahead of the Peace Unity-2024 joint exercise. Photo: Screenshot from the official WeChat account of the PLA Navy

The Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Peace Unity-2024 joint exercises in Africa is progressing smoothly, with a Chinese warship kicking off a joint naval drill with Mozambique on Tuesday after two other Chinese vessels wrapped up their joint naval drill with Tanzania earlier on Monday.

The PLA Navy's Type 071 comprehensive landing ship Qilianshanis joining the Peace Unity-2024 joint exercises from Tuesday to Thursday, having arrived in waters off Mozambique on Friday, practicing training courses including maritime patrol, VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure), maritime rescue, as well as counter-terrorism and counter-piracy with Mozambique, the PLA Navy said in a press release on Monday.

On its way to Mozambique from Tanzania, the Qilianshanconducted joint search and rescue as well as counter-terrorism and counter-piracy training in preparation of the joint exercises, the PLA Navy confirmed.

The start of the joint naval exercise with Mozambique came after the conclusion of joint naval exercises with Tanzania, also under the banner of the Peace Unity-2024 joint exercises.

Vessels participating in the China-Tanzania joint exercise wrapped up their sea phase training courses and returned to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Monday, according to a China Central Television (CCTV) report.

Against the background of safeguarding maritime transportation security in waters to the east of Tanzania, the joint naval drill featured the PLA Navy's Type 071 comprehensive landing ship Wuzhishanand Type 052D guided missile destroyer Hefeias well as four patrol vessels from Tanzania, CCTV reported.

They practiced main gun shooting, joint search and rescue, counter-terrorism and counter-piracy, VBSS and joint patrol maneuvers, the report said.

The land phase of the Peace Unity-2024 joint exercises has begun to incorporate tactical training, as Chinese and Tanzanian forces have been practicing drills together at a comprehensive training center in Mapinga, according to a press release by the PLA Central Theater Command on Sunday.

With a focus on counter-terrorism and counter-piracy nature of the joint exercises, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that the drills are of pragmatic significance in Africa where terrorist and pirate attacks occur frequently.

The joint drills will help African countries enhance their counter-terrorism and counter-piracy capabilities, which is conducive to peace and stability in the region, Zhang said.

Zhang also pointed out that this is the first time China had held joint exercises with African countries which included navy and army participation at the same time. This will also boost the PLA's own interoperability among different military services and branches as well as different theater commands, he said.

Another Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday that the Peace Unity-2024 features long-distance traveling, three participating countries, multiple services, branches and theater commands, realistic training courses and significant scale.

Such complexity reflects that the pragmatic military cooperation among China and African countries has reached a new level, the expert said.