The troops will focus on biochemical and nuclear threats, and emergency rescue operations, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

China believes terrorism is the biggest threat facing next year's Olympic Games and has called for closer international cooperation to prevent possible attacks. While not a traditional target of international terrorism, Beijing faces a growing long-term threat from Islamic separatists among the Uighur population in western China's Xinjiang region.

'This year poses a challenging test. We have scheduled massive training programs before the Olympics to better prepare against any possible threat,' an officer from the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army as quoted as saying by Xinhua.

The army will help Beijing's police and armed police with rescue operations if there is a terrorist attack at the games, Xinhua said.

FBI head Robert Mueller said during a visit last month that China's security preparations for the Olympics were impressive and that his agency was lending its expertise on fending off possible terrorist attacks.

China's generally secretive police agencies have sought advice on Olympic security from the US, Germany, Israel and other foreign governments. -- AP