TEN members of the Myanmar Police Force will begin a two-week training course in China on August 1, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said earlier this month.

The 10 police officers will receive training in criminal investigation techniques, surveillance techniques and ammunition handling from China’s Public Security Ministry during the course in Beijing, the spokesperson said.

The state-run China Daily reported on July 5 that training was being provided to police from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam as part of efforts to expand security cooperation with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Ten police officers from Cambodia completed the course in late July, becoming the first from an ASEAN member to receive training in China.

China and ASEAN signed a memo of understanding in January to collaborate in fighting transnational crime.

The MoU covered terrorism, money laundering, cyber crime and international economic crimes, drug trafficking, human trafficking, sea piracy and arms smuggling.

However, the training provided under the MoU is not the first in China for Myanmar police.

China had provided three month-long training courses for members of the MPF since 2002, said Police Colonel Hkam Awng, the joint secretary of the Central Committee for Drugs Abuse Control, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The latest of the courses, for 30 members of the MPF, including seven women, was completed earlier this year and focused on countering drug trafficking, he said.

“It was the first time we chose police women to receive training overseas,” Police Colonel Hkam Awng said.

He said the collaboration between the police forces of the two countries was aimed mainly at countering cross-border crime.