Speaking on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping asked the armed forces to be war-ready to defend the country's sovereignty at any cost. He also hailed the PLA's achievements ever since it was formed on August 1, 1927, and urged soldiers to build a stronger military "than any other time in history."
"All thoughts must be put on combat, and all work should focus on combat so the military can assemble, charge forward and win wars any time the Party and the people need them to," Xi said, adding that the military should always be "ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win."
Xi's speech came two days after the Sunday's parade held to mark the PLA's 90th birthday at the Zhurihe military training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The parade saw the participation of over 12,000 military personnel and a lot of indigenous military equipment-- half of which were displayed for the first time.
Here is a list of some key equipment of the Chinese military.
DF-31AG missile
The DF-31AG is a new, more mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, which has a range of more than 11,000 kilometres and is capable of delivering nuclear warheads. The state television showed at least 16 DF-31AG missiles that are purportedly hard to track and can be fired from multiple locations.
The DF-31AG is believed to be capable of carrying up to five warheads that can be independently aimed, the South China Morning Post reported, adding that the missile can reach most of the continental United States as well as Europe.
Chengdu J-20 fighter
The Chengdu J-20 fighter is claimed to be China's most advanced stealth fighter jet. The aircraft is reportedly a full fifth-generation fighter and boasts of stealth technology, supersonic cruising speed, and highly integrated avionics.
The Chengdu J-20 fighter is powered by two afterburning turbofan engines. At 34,000 to 37,000 kilograms, the J-20 is said to be lighter than the US F-22 Raptor. It can reportedly carry more fuel and weapons than its American counterpart.
Shenyang J-16 fighter
This is the first time the Shenyang J-16 fighter, a modified version of Russia's Sukhoi-30MKK, was shown to the public. Designed for a naval role, the jet is capable of carrying missiles that can hit ships from beyond visual range.
The Shenyang J-16 fighter is 72 feet long and has a wingspan of 48.2 feet. It can carry a full range of indigenous Chinese equipment, including super and subsonic anti-ship missiles, air-to-air missiles, satellite-guided bombs, cruise missiles and electronic countermeasure (ECM) jammers.
HQ-22 and HQ-9B air-defence missiles
The HQ-22, unveiled at the Airshow China 2016, is a surface-to-air missile weapon system that can intercept various targets, including fixed-wing aircraft, cruise missiles, tactical air-to-surface missiles and armed helicopters.
The HQ-9B, on the other hand, is an upgraded version of the HQ-9 medium- to long-range missile system, which is similar to Russia's S-300 missile and the American Patriot systems. Reportedly tested in February 2006, this missile has a dual seeker that incorporates both Semi-active radar homing (SARH) and infrared homing mode missile guidance systems.
Xian Y-20 cargo plane
Developed by Xian Aircraft Corporation (XAC) with Russian and Ukrainian assistance, the Y-20 became operational in 2016. With a payload capacity of around 60 to 66 tons, the aircraft can carry most large combat and support vehicles, including the Type 99 series tanks.
The Y-20 reportedly has enough range to reach most of the Europe, Africa, Australia and Alaska. It can land at small airports in mountainous areas.
ASN-301 drone system
A near-copy of the Israel Aerospace Industries' Harpy system that China purchased in the 1990s, the ASN-301 drone system is an unmanned aerial vehicle, designed to fly into hostile air space and wait until it detects a radar.
The drone has an endurance of four hours, and has a top speed of 220 kilometres per hour. With a range of 288 kilometres, the system can target up to eight radar systems.
