China to hold air force drills with Thailand as it bolsters Southeast Asia defence ties

The Falcon Strike joint training exercises have been held annually since 2015 but were suspended in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s event is the seventh training exercise between the air forces of China and Thailand.

The base, located in Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand, was formerly a United States Air Force base.

It is unclear which types of Thai and Chinese aircraft will be used in the exercise.

However, in last year’s drills, China deployed its Shaanxi KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft, the J-10C fighter jet, the JH-7A fighter-bomber, and the navy’s J-11B fighter jets.

Thailand opted not to deploy its US-built F-16 fighters last year, instead sending the Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter, the Alpha Jet, and the Saab 340 early warning aircraft.

Chinese and Thai troops pose with military aircraft during last year’s Falcon Strike exercises in Thailand in July 2023. Photo: Facebook / RTAF

Thailand is the oldest US treaty ally in the region and its only treaty ally in the Southeast Asian mainland. But its ties with Washington were strained following a 2014 military coup that overthrew the democratically elected government.

At the time, Washington swiftly condemned the takeover and reduced its military cooperation with Bangkok, suspending US$3.5 million in military aid and downscaling joint exercises.

The decline in Thailand-US defence relations has allowed China to step in, with Bangkok bolstering military ties with Beijing and making several defence procurements.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Thailand’s arms purchases from China have increased since 2014 and included several big-ticket items such as submarines, anti-ship missiles, air defence systems and armoured vehicles.

In May, the Thai navy announced its plans to resume the acquisition of S26T attack submarines from China following suspension of a defence contract in 2023.

The contract, initiated in 2017, has faced numerous delays and obstacles due to engine delivery issues. Additionally, China has reportedly offered the S26T submarines to the Indonesian government, further clouding the prospects of the submarine deal between Bangkok and Beijing.

China and Thailand have broadened the scale and scope of their bilateral joint military exercises, growing from just one bilateral drill in 2017 to three in 2023 covering air, land and maritime operations. However, experts have noted that Thailand’s bilateral exercises with China remain less complex compared to those conducted with the US.

Beijing has been boosting defence ties throughout Southeast Asia. China and Indonesia agreed to hold joint military training in their first “2 +2” military and diplomacy talks, which concluded on Tuesday, according to Indonesia’s foreign ministry.

The Indonesian ministry added that the two countries “reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation to maintain regional security and stability, prevent terrorism, and address transnational crimes”.

In July, Beijing held a two-week joint military exercise with Laos. The drills, known as Friendship Shield 2024, involved around 900 Laotian and 300 Chinese military personnel.

China and Cambodia held their annual Golden Dragon military drills in May. Around 1,315 Cambodian and 760 Chinese military personnel took part in the 15-day ground and sea exercise, which involved three Chinese and 11 Cambodian ships.

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