Tanzania is currently hosting what appears to be the largest ever Chinese military deployment to Sub-Saharan Africa for Exercise ‘Peace Unity (Amani Umoja) 2024′.
The Chinese, Mozambican and Tanzanian militaries are currently holding the Peace Unity 2024 joint exercise in Tanzania, which focuses on counter-terror military operations.
“This year’s exercise is more than previous exercises as it marks 60 years of the coming together of our two forces,” said General Jacob John Mkunda, the chief of the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF), in his speech during the exercise’s opening ceremony on 29 July.
Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defence, said the exercise will be carried out on land and at sea and aims to enhance the participating troops’ capabilities in joint counter-terrorism operations, and deepen military mutual trust and practical cooperation.
Chinese troops had arrived in Tanzania by 27 July, allowing the opening ceremony to officially kick off the exercise on 29 July at the Comprehensive Training Centre (CTC) in Mapinga near Dar es Salaam. Sea drills will conclude on 5 August and land drills on the 11th.
The Chinese forces in the Peace Unity 2024 exercise consist of both ground units sent by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Central Theatre Command and a naval flotilla sent by the PLA Southern Theatre Command.
Ground units consist of troops from the 82nd Group Army, an information and communication regiment, and a military hospital. The troops specialise in assault, reconnaissance, intelligence, special operations, information support and logistics. They bring with them armoured vehicles, self-propelled guns and other heavy equipment.
PLA forces arrived in Tanzania by sea and air, with the PLA Navy sending two Type 071 landing ships, the Wuzhishan and Qilianshan, and a Type 052D guided missile destroyer, the Hefei, and the PLA Air Force sending Y-20 strategic transport aircraft. It is believed that this marked the first use of the new Y-20 transport aircraft to bring troops and equipment to East Africa.
Chinese television coverage on 26 July showed Type 071 amphibious assault ships Wuzhi Shan (987) and Qilian Shan (985) docking at Dar es Salaam’s commercial port with Type 052D destroyer Hefei (174). More troops were also shown arriving at Dar es Salaam’s airport on a J-20 transport aircraft.
The Type 071s can together carry 1,600 troops and 60 armoured vehicles, according to Janes Fighting Ships , although a far smaller force was shown in the Chinese and Tanzanian coverage of the opening ceremony, which was held at the Comprehensive Training Centre (CTC) north of Dar es Salaam. More than 200 Chinese soldiers were formed up with a larger number of TPDF special forces soldiers.
The deployment included four 6×6 armoured personnel carriers and four Mengshi tactical vehicles, along with reconnaissance, command, and recovery variants of the Type 09 family of 8×8 armoured vehicles and a wheeled armoured engineering vehicle. The Chinese also displayed various infantry weapons and other items of equipment for their Tanzanian hosts.
The joint drills will help African countries enhance their counter-terrorism and counter-piracy capabilities, which is conducive to peace and stability in the region.
Gao Jian, part of the PLA contingent, said, “with a high morale, strong military performance, and coordinated joint operations, we will work shoulder to shoulder with the Tanzanian military. We will fully demonstrate Chinese military’s resolution and capability in safeguarding regional stability and security.”
Sea drills are to include port defence, counter-terrorism tactics, visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS), anti-piracy, and joint maritime patrols. During the exercise, the flotilla will also organise cultural exchanges, deck receptions, and vessel open days.
“We anticipate that these exercises will strengthen our military capabilities and foster closer ties with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army,” said Commander of the Tanzania Navy, Ameir Ramadhan Hassan.
“Our cooperation has expanded from military training to equipment sharing. The three naval ship missions in Tanzania are a testament to it. We will always work together as we set out new heights,” said Chinese defence attache to Tanzania Wang Haijun.
The exercise coincides with 60th anniversary celebrations of bilateral relations between China and Tanzania and a visit by the PLAN Peace Ark hospital ship. Under Mission Harmony 2024, the vessel is providing humanitarian medical services to a number of countries.
Peace Unity 2024 marks the fourth joint military exercise between Tanzania and China, after exercises in 2014, 2019/20, and September 2023 when the two countries held the Transcend 2023 Marine Corps joint training exercise in Dar es Salaam.