China, Kyrgyzstan hold joint border patrol

URUMQI - Orient 2015, a six-day joint law enforcement operation, is being staged on the China-Kyrgyzstan border.

The operation starting from Monday covers areas of traditional and non-traditional threats to security. It was the first of this kind between China and Kyrgyzstan under the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a six-nation regional security group.

According to the frontier public security bureau of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, law enforcers from both countries will patrol the border, visit border residents and counter smuggling together.

China and Kyrgyzstan share a border of more than 1,000 kilometers and two land ports. Rampant terrorism, arms and drug smuggling have threatened regional security and development in recent years.

The two countries conducted a joint anti-terrorism drill in August, 2013.