PLA's 90th founding anniversary: Highlights of the grand military parade

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China on Sunday held a military parade at Zhurihe training base in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to celebrate the 90th birthday of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). This is the first military parade ever held to mark the founding of the PLA.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the troops and delivered an important speech.

12,000 troops, more than 100 aircraft and 500 pieces of grand equipment rallied at Zhurihe for the parade. 40 percent of these armaments were on display to the public for the first time.

Following are the highlights of some armaments in the parade:

--99-A tanks, the latest model of main battle tanks independently developed by China. The tank can hit targets accurately while on the move and have been upgraded for war in the Information Age.

--Red Arrow-10 anti-tank missiles. The newly-commissioned weapon can be used on targets like tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters. It also has superb tracking capability.

--KJ-2000 airborne early warning and control (AEWC) aircraft. Early warning aircraft can simultaneously track multiple airborne targets and instantly work out which is the biggest threat before transmitting data to its own forces. Attacks then can be launched beyond the visual range.

--Y-20, China's largest heavy-duty transport plane that was commissioned last year. It is ideal for long-distance delivery of heavy cargo and personnel.

--J-20, China's fourth generation supersonic stealth fighter. The domestically-built aircraft can fly low, elude radar detection and launch surprise attacks. The J-16 is making its public debut.

--Dongfeng-26 strategic ballistic missiles. Capable of carrying either conventional or nuclear warheads, the missiles can be launched on short notice and strike both land and sea-based targets with precision.

--Dongfeng-21D medium-range missiles. It can recognize terrain and correct course during flight. The type is specially developed to target vessels, and is called by some as "carrier killer."