BEIJING — (AP) — China’s military is carrying out armed patrols near the Myanmar border this week, where the government is concerned about potential fallout from fierce fighting in a civil war on the other side.
Troops were deployed to Yunnan province in southwestern China on Monday to test their ability to maintain security in border areas, the military’s Southern Theater Command said.
An alliance of ethnic militias has dealt a series of setbacks to Myanmar’s military in the country’s northeast, which is near China. Five people were injured on the Chinese side in January by a stray artillery shell.
Live-fire drills will be held from Tuesday to Thursday in four locations including two in Ruili city, the Yunnan government said.
The units will carry out armed patrols and joint air-ground patrols to test their ability to mobilize quickly, block and control and strike together, the southern command said in a statement.
The military previously held live-fire drillsnear the Myanmar border …