A Chinese naval fleet, consisting of warships Xueshan and Lushan of the PLA Southern Theater Command, are conducting high-intensity and multi-course combat training in the South China Sea. The day and night exercises, according to the Command, are to test the emergency response capabilities of officers and soldiers, their ability to actually use weapons and their command coordination in complex battlefield environments. Training modules include dealing with complex and changeable enemy situations at sea and in the air – such as suspicious targets, armed enemy fishing boats, weapons threats and so on. While fighting targets, they must also take into account rescuing the wounded, handling fires and other challenging situations.

"Today's training ground is tomorrow's naval battlefield. Only by setting up more difficult obstacles can we develop the skills to fight and win battles," says Guo Xiaolong, Navy of the PLA Southern Theater Command.