China shows off military strength in PLA parade

Troops prepare for a military parade at Zhurihe training base in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, July 30, 2017. The parade was held to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

Zhurihe base facts:

The Zhurihe base replicates realistic battle conditions in a variety of terrain, such as grasslands, hills and deserts. The training base covers an area of 1,066 square kilometers, almost the same as the land area of Hong Kong, and has its own hospitals and logistic facilities.

Zhurihe has been hosting realistic combat exercises since 2007. Drills, typically involving battles between red and blue units, are designed to get soldiers used to fighting more skillful and better equipped foes.

In 2014, Zhurihe hosted a six-day joint anti-terror drill with forces from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan teaming up with PLA personnel.