Teams from China, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Vietnam competed in a relay race to tackle nuclear, biological, and chemical threats on Tuesday as part of the International Army Games (IAG) 2021 in Korla, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The Safe Environment Relay Race included two teams from each country, with each team having three contestants: a commander, a detection specialist, and a driver. The course had to be completed in two laps.

Along the way, the teams had to overcome 12 vehicle obstacles and 12 other obstacles. In between, they also had to exit their vehicles to carry out tasks such as identifying toxic substances and detecting sources of radiation.

"Before I decided to join the contest, I had no training in dealing with these kinds of obstacles. I've gone through injuries and difficulties, but I've pulled through each time. I think we're a team of courage and grit," said Li Mingzhu, a detection specialist in the Chinese team.

"I was under pressure trying to complete the course with no mistakes," Huang Shunxiang, driver of the Chinese team, told CGTN. "I was the last one passing through some of the obstacles. It requires a higher level of physical strength and stamina. I spared no effort running towards the finish line."

The two Chinese Army teams competed against members of the Uzbek armed forces, while Belarus faced Vietnam. China's Rocket Force duked it out with Russia.

Compared with previous editions, this year's contest simulated a more combat-based scenario. Plus, evaluation standards have become more accurate.

Song Jinchao, a detection specialist, told CGTN: "It's a bit more challenging for me to detect unknown chemical agents than it was in previous games. But I managed to fulfill my task within the same period of time, with no time penalty."

"We have outperformed ourselves today. We completed our lap in record time: nine minutes and one second. We worked well together during the competition. It all went smoothly," Feng Bo, a Chinese team driver, added.

In the end, the Chinese team won the race with 18 minutes 19 seconds, followed by Russia and Belarus. An awards ceremony will be held on September 4 when the Games come to an end.