中美人道主义救援减灾联合实兵演练

On the sideline of China-US joint exercises, some military observers from foreign countries talked about how they viewed such drills.

The drills soldiers are taking part in, focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in high altitude regions.

A total of 223 elite soldiers are taking part, including 134 from the People's Liberation Army and 89 from the US side.

The drills themselves consist of four parts: command and control, ground rescue operations, relief and relocation, as well as marine rescues.

40 soldiers from two-dozen other countries are also here to oversee the joint exercises.

Captain Stafford with Grenada's armed forces says the marine rescue drills are of particular interest, given Grenada is a small Caribbean island.

"I believe it was an excellent show of the military ability and capability for rescues in the water. There were a lot of things that I learned that were new, we've heard of it before, but for the first time we were able to see it actually happen. About the next drill that I think could be in a couple of years, and that we and the US can all be in this together."

The drills put the soldiers from both sides to the test...

A 289-meter-long pontoon bridge was constructed in just 15-minutes, allowing both people and vehicles safe avenues of escape from a simulated disaster area.

Italian Colonel Sandro Calaresu says the ground-based drills 'hit-home' for him.

"My feeling is very positive, I come from a country where earthquakes are not affections but a reality these days, so I can say this exercise is very constructive, and you never know when they might use expertise and resources that we've seen here today in real cases."

Beyond training, the joint exercises are also designed to try to create a sense of comradery among the soldiers taking part.

Colonel Calaresu, who is also a military liason to the European Union, says drills like the ones in Yunnan are worth expanding.

"Today, as we speak in Brussels, we have bilateral talks between China and the European Union, I believe that the synergy and efforts to continue these kinds of events can be discussed and taken forward."

The drills in Yunnan represent the 4th time in the last 3-years, that Chinese and US soldiers have worked together in joint exercises.