A Chinese helicopter unit flew to Russia on Sunday to take part in a six-nation Central Asian anti-terrorism drill, a government news agency reported.

The 16 helicopters took off from a base in the Xinjiang region of China's northwest on a 2,700-kilometer

(1,700-mile) flight, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The Aug. 9-17 drill is being held by the Shanghai

Cooperation Organization, created by Moscow and Beijing to counter U.S. Influence in resource-rich Central Asia. (AP)