China carries out live-fire exercises near Myanmar border amid fresh Junta vs rebel escalations

File photo of Myanmar government troops standing on a rooftop on the Myanmar side, near a Chinese flag from the Chinese border town of Nansan in southwestern China's Yunnan province. (AP Photo)

China's military announced on Monday that it has organised army units and joint air-ground police patrols near its border with Myanmar to ensure security and stability amid escalating fighting between Myanmar's ruling junta and rebel forces.

The patrols concentrated on areas around Ruili, Zhenkang, and other frontline sections in China, according to a military statement.

This comes amid significant escalation in tension after fresh fighting broke out in Myanmar's northern Kachin and Shan states, resulting in artillery shells injuring people and damaging property on the Chinese side, as well as posing threats to infrastructure projects in China.

The Southern Theater of the Chinese People's Liberation Army is deploying army units to test the troops' ability to "move quickly, block and control, and launch coordinated strikes to maintain security and stability in the border areas," the military added.

A unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army is also planning live-fire exercises on the Chinese side of the China-Myanmar border from August 27 to 29, according to a separate military statement.

These exercises were conducted in areas south of Ruili and in other locations around Zhenkang county and Gengma Dai and Va Autonomous County in western Yunnan province.

China has stated that the conflict is negatively impacting stability and social order along the China-Myanmar border.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently affirmed that China would maintain its commitment to helping restore peace and stability in Myanmar.

(With Reuters inputs)