Germany and China will hold a joint medical military exercise in the southwest city of Chongqing, one of China's five national central cities and a looming megacity, from October 17 to 29.

The medical teams will come from the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) and the German Army (Deutsches Heer), the land army of the Bundeswehr or the German Armed Forces.

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The medical mission goes by the name, "Combined Aid-2016," said Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense (MND). He said the joint exercise will focus on humanitarian medical rescue in earthquake disasters.

The focus on earthquake response is appropriate since Chongqing is located in an earthquake prone zone. Sichuan province to the west of Chongqing was hit by the devastating 2008 Sichuan Earthquake on May 12 that killed 68,600 persons.

In Chongqing last August, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck Dianjiang County. No deaths were reported, however.

The German and Chinese team will train under the assumption an imaginary country is hit by a mega-earthquake. Both countries then send medical forces to the quake hit area to jointly undertake medical rescue operations.

They will also conduct joint command and coordination; provide first-aid to the injured and sick and conduct hygienic epidemic prevention.

China and Germany will send medical detachments to participate in the joint exercise. The Chinese detachment will be equipped with a tent hospital module; field ambulances; field epidemic prevention vehicles; tele-medicine systems; medical evacuation helicopters and other medical equipment.

The Germans will bring equipment used in a military Role 1 medical treatment facility (MTF) and armored ambulances.

Role 1 MTFs ensure effective first aid, triage, resuscitation and stabilization for onward casualty evacuation. They also provide a facility for the delivery of primary health care.

A Role1 MTF might consist of doctors, dentists, emergency, a sterilization room, laboratory, X-ray room, pharmacy, administration room, staff room, ablutions, ambient store and dry storage.

This joint exercise will help China and Germany deepen the exchange between their militaries; enhance their pragmatic cooperation in humanitarian assistance and military medicine and improve their medical rescue capabilities.

TagsPeople's Liberation Army Ground Force, German Army, Bundeswehr, medical military exercise, Combined Aid-2016, Chongqing