Chen Zhuorong, 23, with the People's Liberation Army Special Operations Forces, was glad to learn a new skill - how to build a temporary shelter in the jungles of Malaysia.

"Unlike the shelters we build in China, the shelter the Malaysian soldiers built was higher above ground, and had a stove that is only 30 centimeters away from the bed," he said.

It was only one of the techniques Chen has learned during the Aman Youyi 2016, or Peace and Friendship 2016, the China-Malaysia joint military exercise being held near Paya Indah, Selangor, in Malaysia.