A Chinese special forces trooper exits a helicopter in spectacular style during a July 12 training exercise for the "Peace Mission 2007" military drill.

"Peace Mission 2007," the largest ever joint antiterror exercise held by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), will take place in Urumqi in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Chelyabinsk in the Ural Mountainous region of Russia on August 9-17. All six SCO member countries--China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan--will take part.

The drill, which is believed to be a test of SCO members' capability of conducting strategic consultations, battle planning, transportation and deployment of troops, "demonstrates the determination of SCO members in tackling new challenges and threats in the region," said the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.