China begins military drills along Myanmar border

China has started military exercises along its border with Myanmar, according to Xinhua News Agency, Report informs referring to Bloomberg.

The drills beginning on November 25 aim to test the nation’s preparedness, speed in mobilizing, along with its ability to seal off borders and capacity to attack, the report said. No end date was given for the operation.

The border zone has become a flashpoint over the past month as armed Myanmar ethnic groups opposed to the government have seized a number of towns including a key tin trading hub. The conflict has prompted China to call for a halt in fighting between a rebel group and Myanmar’s military.

Beijing has also been seeking to crack down on cross-border cyber crimes within Myanmar, according to state-run CCTV. Since September, authorities in northern Myanmar have transferred 31,000 suspects said to be involved in scams linked to China, including 63 considered ringleaders and 1,531 wanted persons, CCTV reported earlier this week.