Playing with Fire: China to Hold War Games Along Volatile Myanmar Border

China will reportedly conduct live fire war games later this week along its volatile border with Myanmar; the drills will be held near an area where Chinese civilians were earlier killed by stray bombs during fighting between the Myanmar government and rebels.

China's military has announced live-fire drills along its volatile border with Myanmar; the drills will be held later this week near an area where at least five Chinese civilians were earlier killed by stray bombs during fighting between Myanmar's government and ethnic Chinese rebels, sources said.

According to the Chinese Defense Ministry, the exercises, which are due to kick off in the country's southwestern province of Yunnan on Tuesday, will include both ground and air elements.

Chinese People's Liberation Army cadets take part in a bayonet drills at the PLA's Armoured Forces Engineering Academy Base

© AP Photo / Andy Wong

The ministry declined to elaborate on how many troops would be involved, how long the exercises would last and what kind of weapons would be used. Myanmar has been informed about the war games, the ministry said.

The drills will be held in two counties of China's Yunnan province which are adjacent to Myanmar's restless Kokang region, where a state of emergency was declared in February 2014. It was extended another 90 days, until August 17, in March.

With the state of emergency came martial law, which remains effective in the region.

The measures were announced following heavy fighting between government forces and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the main rebel group in Kokang, which is led by ethnic Chinese commander Peng Jiasheng.

Beijing has repeatedly called on Myanmar to do more in order to stop the fighting from spilling over into Chinese territory.