The "Peace Mission 2021," a counter-terrorism military exercise for Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, officially started on Monday in Orenburg, Russia.

The participants are from eight SCO member states, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan. The participating troops consist of around 4,000 military personnel, among which 558 are from China.

The routine exercise within the framework of the SCO is aimed at deepening defense and security cooperation among member states, improving their ability to cope with new challenges and threats, and jointly safeguarding regional peace and security.

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