Chinese military conducts live fire drill in Tibet

A digital combat unit of China's military has conducted live-fire drills in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which Chinese experts say displayed the country's determination to build a strong army capable of winning a war in all weathers and territories, official media reported.

The drills, carried out by the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) digital combat unit in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, mainly tested the complete digital combat system in the extreme environment, Beijing-based military expert and TV commentator Song Zhongping told Global Times on Thursday.

Such a practice is not targeted against any particular nation near the area, but forms the part of China's bigger plan to build a strong army capable of winning a war in all weathers and territories, he said.

Song said that almost all units will regularly practice in the area.

Hundreds of military vehicles carrying advanced weaponry including drones, early warning radar, howitzers and air defence missiles participated in the PLA manoeuvre, state-run China Central Television (CCTV) reported on August 11.

The PLA digital combat unit is able to independently perform counterfire missions including anti-tank and air defence tasks, the Times report quoted CCTV.

The exact location of the drill is not identified in the report.

An article published by the Sina military channel yesterday said that the artillery deployed in the drills were PLL-09, a Chinese 122-millimetre self-propelled howitzer.

Although it is less powerful individually than the 155-millimetre cannons, its manoeuvrability is better and it can respond quicker in the battlefield to be transported thousands of kms through the air.

PLA naval vessels from three theatre commands have also conducted air defence and anti-missile live-fire exercises in the East China Sea, PLA Daily reported last week.